When to Use the French Imperative (Commands) Correctly

You know the verb. You know the tense. Then you try to say “Come here,” “Let’s go,” or “Don’t forget,” and suddenly French feels slippery again. The French imperative looks simple on paper, but the moment reflexive verbs and pronouns show up, a lot of learners freeze.

Quick answer: the French imperative gives commands, instructions, invitations, and advice. It uses only tu, nous, and vous forms, usually without the subject pronoun: Viens ! (Come!), Allons-y ! (Let’s go!), Attendez ! (Wait!). The tricky parts are the irregular forms, negative commands, and pronoun placement.

What the French imperative actually does

The imperative is the form you use when you want someone to do something. That includes direct commands, but also softer uses like suggestions, recipes, instructions, and encouragement.

You’ll hear it everywhere:

• Écoute ! (Listen!) 🔊
• Prenez la deuxième rue à droite. (Take the second street on the right.) 🔊
• Allons-y. (Let’s go.) 🔊
• N’oublie pas ton passeport. (Don’t forget your passport.) 🔊

English often uses “you” explicitly in commands, but French usually drops the subject pronoun. So instead of tu viens !, you say viens ! (come!).

This matters for speaking speed. Native speakers don’t build commands by mentally reciting a whole conjugation table first. They retrieve the command form directly. That’s one reason we built VerbPal around active production drills: you need to produce dis-le (say it), ne te lève pas (don’t get up), or allons-y (let’s go) under pressure, not just recognise them on a page.

When you’ll use it most

You’ll use the imperative for:

• giving directions
• making requests
• offering advice
• reading signs and instructions
• following recipes
• speaking naturally in everyday situations

Corpus-based frequency lists consistently show that high-frequency verbs like être, avoir, aller, faire, dire, prendre, and venir dominate spoken and written French. That means imperative mastery pays off quickly, because the same common verbs appear in commands again and again. In VerbPal, that is exactly where we start: high-frequency verbs first, then broader coverage across all tenses, irregulars, reflexives, and the subjunctive once the core patterns are stable.

Pro Tip: Don’t learn the imperative as an isolated grammar chapter. Learn it through high-frequency verbs you actually say: va (go), viens (come), fais (do/make), prends (take), dis (say/tell), attends (wait), regarde (look/watch).

How to form the French imperative: tu, nous, vous

The good news: for most verbs, the imperative is built from the present tense forms of tu, nous, and vous — but you remove the subject pronoun.

Regular pattern

Take parler (to speak):

Examples:

• Parle plus lentement. (Speak more slowly.) 🔊
• Parlons français. (Let’s speak French.) 🔊
• Parlez clairement, s’il vous plaît. (Speak clearly, please.) 🔊

Choosing between tu, vous, and nous

Use tu for one person you address informally

• a friend
• a child
• a family member
• someone you would normally call tu

Example: Attends une seconde. (Wait a second.)

Use vous for one person formally or several people

• a stranger
• a customer
• a teacher
• a group

Examples:

• Entrez, madame. (Come in, ma’am.)
• Asseyez-vous, tout le monde. (Sit down, everyone.)

Use nous for “let’s…”

This is one of the most useful everyday patterns in French.

Examples:

• Allons au café. (Let’s go to the café.)
• Commençons maintenant. (Let’s start now.)

If you want a broader refresher on how French verb forms map across persons and tenses, our French conjugation tables help — but for real speaking, you’ll progress faster when you type the forms yourself. That is why our VerbPal sessions push active recall instead of passive recognition.

Pro Tip: When you see “Let’s…” in English, think nous imperative first: allons (let’s go), faisons (let’s do/make), prenons (let’s take), essayons (let’s try).

The small but important -s rule in tu commands

Here’s the classic trap: many -er verbs and a few similar verbs lose the final -s in the tu imperative.

So:

• tu parles → Parle ! (Speak!)
• tu regardes → Regarde ! (Look! / Watch!)
• tu fermes → Ferme ! (Close!)
• tu vas → Va ! (Go!)

Not:

• Parles !
• Regardes !

Examples:

• Regarde ce film. (Watch this film.) 🔊
• Ferme la porte. (Close the door.) 🔊
• Va à gauche. (Go left.) 🔊

But sometimes the -s comes back

If the command is followed by y or en, French often adds the -s back for smoother pronunciation.

• Va ! → Vas-y ! (Go ahead! / Go there!)
• Parle ! → Parles-en ! (Talk about it!)

This is a sound-based convenience rule more than a meaning rule.

When learners miss this, it is usually not because the rule is hard. It is because the chunk is not yet automatic. We see that a lot with short command forms, so in VerbPal we recycle pairs like va / vas-y (go / go ahead) and parle / parles-en (speak / talk about it) using SM-2 spaced repetition, which brings them back just before you are likely to forget them.

Pro Tip: Memorise these as chunks, not rules alone: va (go), vas-y (go ahead), parle (speak), parles-en (talk about it). Chunks come out faster in conversation.

The imperative irregulars you actually need

Most imperative forms are predictable, but a few very common verbs are irregular. The two you absolutely need early are être and avoir.

Être → sois, soyons, soyez

Examples:

• Sois prudent. (Be careful.) 🔊
• Soyons réalistes. (Let’s be realistic.) 🔊
• Soyez patients. (Be patient.) 🔊

Avoir → aie, ayons, ayez

Examples:

• Aie confiance. (Have confidence.) 🔊
• Ayons du courage. (Let’s have courage.) 🔊
• Ayez patience. (Be patient / Have patience.) 🔊

Other common imperative forms worth learning early

These aren’t irregular in the same way, but they’re so common that you should know them cold:

• sache / sachons / sachez from savoir (know)
• veuille / veuillons / veuillez from vouloir (want), used in formal requests
• va / allons / allez from aller (go)
• fais / faisons / faites from faire (do/make)

Examples:

• Veuillez patienter. (Please wait.) 🔊
• Faites attention. (Pay attention / Be careful.) 🔊

If you want more high-frequency command verbs, our post on the 100 most common French verbs pairs well with imperative study. And if you are using VerbPal, this is a good point to build a short deck of must-know command verbs before you branch out.

Pro Tip: Prioritise imperative forms of the top 20 spoken verbs before you chase edge cases. That gives you the biggest return in real conversations.

Pronoun placement in the French imperative

This is where many learners start hesitating. In the imperative, pronouns do not always sit where they sit in a normal sentence.

Positive commands: pronouns come after the verb

In affirmative imperative sentences, object pronouns usually follow the verb and connect with hyphens.

• Lis le livre. (Read the book.)
• Lis-le. (Read it.) 🔊
• Donnez-moi votre nom. (Give me your name.) 🔊
• Prends-en. (Take some.) 🔊
• Allons-y. (Let’s go.) 🔊

Notice the order and the hyphens:

• verb + pronoun
• often a different pronoun order from standard statements

Negative commands: pronouns go back before the verb

As soon as the command becomes negative, the pronouns move back in front of the verb.

• Ne le lis pas. (Don’t read it.) 🔊
• Ne me donnez pas ça. (Don’t give me that.) 🔊
• N’y va pas. (Don’t go there.) 🔊
• N’en prends pas. (Don’t take any.) 🔊

Me and te become moi and toi in positive imperatives

In affirmative commands, me and te usually become moi and toi after the verb.

• Donne-moi le livre. (Give me the book.)
• Assieds-toi. (Sit down.)
• Rappelle-toi cette règle. (Remember this rule.)

But in negative commands, they go back to normal:

• Ne me donne pas le livre. (Don’t give me the book.)
• Ne t’assieds pas ici. (Don’t sit here.)
• Ne te rappelle pas seulement la règle — pratique-la. (Don’t just remember the rule — practise it.)

This is one of those grammar points that learners often “understand” but still can’t produce quickly. In VerbPal, we drill these contrasts directly so you retrieve the right order on cue: dis-le (say it), ne le dis pas (don’t say it), lève-toi (get up), ne te lève pas (don’t get up). That is far more useful than rereading the rule five times.

Pro Tip: Learn pronoun imperatives in pairs: dis-le / ne le dis pas (say it / don’t say it), donne-moi / ne me donne pas (give me / don’t give me), vas-y / n’y va pas (go ahead / don’t go there).

Reflexive imperatives: the form learners trip over most

Reflexive verbs look intimidating in commands because both the verb and the reflexive pronoun change position.

Take se lever (to get up).

Positive reflexive imperative

In affirmative commands, the reflexive pronoun goes after the verb, and te becomes toi.

• Lève-toi ! (Get up!) 🔊
• Levons-nous ! (Let’s get up!) 🔊
• Levez-vous ! (Get up!) 🔊

Take se souvenir (to remember):

• Souviens-toi. (Remember.) 🔊

Negative reflexive imperative

In negative commands, the reflexive pronoun goes back before the verb.

• Ne te lève pas ! (Don’t get up!) 🔊
• Ne nous levons pas ! (Let’s not get up!) 🔊
• Ne vous levez pas ! (Don’t get up!) 🔊

Reflexive + y/en

You may also see patterns like:

• Va-t’en ! (Go away!) 🔊

This one is worth memorising as a fixed chunk.

If reflexive verbs still feel messy, our post on French reflexive verbs through your morning routine gives you a more intuitive way to internalise them. In VerbPal, reflexives are especially worth typing out because recognition is easy, but production is where learners usually break down.

Pro Tip: Drill reflexive commands as opposites: lève-toi / ne te lève pas (get up / don’t get up), dépêche-toi / ne te dépêche pas (hurry up / don’t hurry), souviens-toi / ne te souviens pas (remember / don’t remember).

Common situations where the French imperative sounds natural

Many learners underuse the imperative because “command” sounds harsh. In real French, though, the imperative often sounds perfectly normal — or even polite — depending on context and tone.

Directions and instructions

• Tournez à droite. (Turn right.)
• Prenez le métro jusqu’à Châtelet. (Take the metro to Châtelet.)
• Remplissez ce formulaire. (Fill out this form.)

Everyday conversation

• Attends. (Wait.)
• Regarde. (Look.)
• Dis-moi. (Tell me.)
• Écoutez-moi bien. (Listen to me carefully.)

Suggestions with nous

• Essayons encore. (Let’s try again.)
• Allons prendre un café. (Let’s go get a coffee.)
• Restons calmes. (Let’s stay calm.)

Recipes, manuals, signs

• Mélangez les ingrédients. (Mix the ingredients.)
• Ajoutez le beurre. (Add the butter.)
• Ne pas toucher. (Do not touch.) — technically an infinitive structure, but often used where English expects an imperative

You’ll also hear softened imperatives with s’il te plaît or s’il vous plaît:

• Ferme la fenêtre, s’il te plaît. (Close the window, please.)
• Veuillez patienter, s’il vous plaît. (Please wait.)

French often uses the imperative where English might choose “can you…?” or “could you…?” That doesn’t automatically make it rude. One practical way we train this at VerbPal is by mixing command forms into realistic contexts, so you stop treating them as isolated textbook lines and start hearing where they actually belong.

Pro Tip: Don’t translate tone word-for-word from English. Judge politeness in French by formality, context, and softeners like s’il vous plaît (please), not by whether a sentence uses the imperative.

The most common mistakes with French commands

Even strong learners make the same few imperative mistakes. If you fix these, your French sounds much more natural immediately.

1. Keeping the subject pronoun

Incorrect:

• Tu parle plus lentement.

Correct:

• Parle plus lentement. (Speak more slowly.)

2. Forgetting the missing -s in tu forms of -er verbs

Incorrect:

• Parles !

Correct:

• Parle ! (Speak!)

3. Forgetting that y/en can bring the -s back

Incorrect:

• Va y !

Correct:

• Vas-y ! (Go ahead!)

4. Using regular forms instead of irregular imperative forms

Incorrect:

• Es prudent.
• As patience.

Correct:

• Sois prudent. (Be careful.)
• Aie patience. (Be patient.)

5. Putting pronouns in the wrong place

Incorrect:

• Me donne-le.
• Ne donne-le pas.

Correct:

• Donne-le-moi. (Give it to me.)
• Ne me le donne pas. (Don’t give it to me.)

6. Forgetting moi/toi in positive reflexive or object commands

Incorrect:

• Assieds-te.

Correct:

• Assieds-toi. (Sit down.)

7. Mixing up positive and negative reflexive patterns

Incorrect:

• Ne lève-toi pas.

Correct:

• Ne te lève pas. (Don’t get up.)

If you notice that you can explain these rules but still make them while speaking, that’s not a knowledge problem — it’s a retrieval problem. Our 10-minute French verb drill routine and moving French verbs from passive study to active speaking explain why.

Pro Tip: Keep a personal “error bank” of imperative mistakes. Then drill only those forms until they feel boringly automatic.

A simple method to master the French imperative faster

You do not need 200 command forms on day one. You need a small, high-value core that you can produce accurately and fast.

Step 1: Learn the three functions

• tu = informal singular
• vous = formal singular or plural
• nous = let’s

Step 2: Memorise the must-know irregulars

• sois, soyons, soyez (be)
• aie, ayons, ayez (have)

Step 3: Drill positive vs negative pairs

• Regarde / Ne regarde pas (look / don’t look)
• Dis-le / Ne le dis pas (say it / don’t say it)
• Lève-toi / Ne te lève pas (get up / don’t get up)
• Vas-y / N’y va pas (go ahead / don’t go there)

Step 4: Practise with high-frequency verbs

Use verbs like:

• aller (to go)
• faire (to do/make)
• dire (to say/tell)
• prendre (to take)
• venir (to come)
• attendre (to wait)
• regarder (to look/watch)
• écouter (to listen)
• mettre (to put)
• se lever (to get up)

Step 5: Produce, don’t just review

Conjugation charts help you verify forms. They do not guarantee fluent recall. At VerbPal, we use SM-2 spaced repetition to bring command forms back just before you forget them, and Lexi 🐶 pops up in sessions with pattern-based reminders when a rule needs to stick. Because we cover French systematically — including irregulars, reflexives, and the subjunctive — the imperative fits into a bigger verb system instead of living in its own little grammar box.

That matters because imperative forms often fail under pressure: ordering, asking, warning, directing, reacting. Production practice is what closes that gap.

Pro Tip: Build one mini-drill set around a single contrast: affirmative, negative, pronoun, reflexive. Example: assieds-toi / ne t’assieds pas / asseyez-vous / ne vous asseyez pas (sit down / don’t sit down / sit down / don’t sit down).

FAQ: French imperative commands

Is the French imperative always a command?

No. It often gives a command, but it can also express advice, instructions, invitations, encouragement, or polite requests. Allons-y means “Let’s go,” not an order barked at someone.

Do I always remove the subject pronoun in the imperative?

Yes, in standard imperative forms you drop the subject pronoun: Parle ! (Speak!), not Tu parle ! The imperative normally appears without tu, nous, or vous.

Why is it sois and not es?

Because être has an irregular imperative. The correct forms are sois, soyons, soyez (be, let’s be, be). You have to memorise them.

Why is it donne-moi but ne me donne pas?

Because positive imperatives place pronouns after the verb, while negative imperatives place them before the verb. Also, me becomes moi after the verb in positive commands.

Is veuillez really an imperative?

Yes. It comes from vouloir and appears in formal written or spoken requests, especially signs, announcements, and customer service language: Veuillez patienter. (Please wait.)

Final takeaway: make French commands automatic, not theoretical

If you want the French imperative to feel natural, stop treating it like a one-page rule sheet. Learn the three forms, lock in the irregulars, then drill the contrasts that cause hesitation: positive vs negative, pronoun after vs pronoun before, reflexive after vs reflexive before. Once those patterns become automatic, commands stop feeling like grammar and start feeling like speech.

Pro Tip: Start with ten command chunks you will actually say this week, then type them from memory until you can produce them without pausing.