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Mandatos

Description

Exercises (Click on the dot to go directly to related exercises)

Telling someone to do something, or not in a very direct manner.

Forming commands are pretty simple, if you remember TWO basic words:

 

DROP

or

SWAP!

 

First, DROP: To tell ONE friend to do something (an affirmative command), you simply have to take the tú form of the verb, and DROP the S off the end. That changes the meaning from an observation ("Hey look, you are singing") to a command (Hey you, SING!)

Cantas (you are singing) vs Canta (Sing!)

Vuelves (you are returning) vs Vuelve (Return!)

Duermes (you are sleeping) vs Duerme (Sleep!)

Got it? Pretty simple, eh?
But DROP only works for telling one friend to do something.

There are, of course, a few verbs that don't DROP. In fact, these verbs just use a shortened form of the verb, for when you have to tell a friend to do something, and you're in a real hurry!

TÚ POSITIVE IRREGULARES

ir = ve

ser = sé

poner = pon

hacer = haz

tener = ten

salir = sal

decir = di

venir = ven

 

Now, for the SWAP!: When you have to tell a friend not to do something, or when you want to tell a groupof people (Uds.), or someone in a position of respect (Ud.), or a group that you belong to (nosotros), you need to do something a bit different.

In most cases, you only have to make a teeny, tiny switch to change a statement/observation into a command. Look at the end of the verb you're using. Whatever it ends with, SWAP! it!

Bailan (you guys are dancing) vs Bailen (Hey you guys, Dance!)

Comemos (we are eating) vs Comamos (Hey everyone, Let's eat!)

Encuentra (you Sir/Madam find . . .) vs Encuentre (Hey you Sir/Madam, Find . . .!)

No leen (you guys are not reading) vs No lean (Hey you guys, Don't read!)

This works for telling one friend not to do something as well:

No cocinas (you don't cook) vs No cocines (Hey you, Don't cook!)

Hey, how about a couple of more details, now that you have the basics down:

  • For most verbs that have a weird yo form (-go verbs (tener, poner), for example, as well as verbs like conocer) you need to do one little step before you SWAP! the ending.

    First, take the weird yo form, then SWAP! the ending. It doesn't matter who you are commanding (Ud, Uds, nosotros, tú negative). Just start with the yo . . .

I want to tell my two friends to leave (salir), so . . .

salgo SWAP! Salgan!
(Hey you guys, LEAVE!)

I want to tell my boss to put the book on the table (poner), so . . .
pongo SWAP! ¡Ponga el libro en la mesa!
(Hey you Sir/Madam, Put the book on the table!)

  • There are (of course!) a few irregulars that don't SWAP! It's a small list, though:

ser
sea (Ud.), sean (Uds.), seamos (nosotros), NO seas (tú)

saber
sepa (Ud.), sepan (Uds.), sepamos (nosotros), NO sepas (tú)

ir
vaya (Ud.), vayan (Uds.), vayamos (nosotros), NO vayas (tú)

"But hey Señor Warren, What about reflexive verbs?  Pronouns?  Accent Marks?"

ALL "LITTLE WORDS":  
(DIRECT/INDIRECT/REFLEXIVE PRONOUNS) ACT THE SAME:

POSITIVE:

ATTACH ON THE END OF THE VERB

(Ud) ¡Léalo!

(tú) ¡Cómelas!

(Uds) ¡Levántense!

multiple pronouns?  NO PROBLEM!

(reminder:  PEOPLE COME FIRST!)

(tú) ¡Póntelo!

(Ud) ¡Cómpremelos!

NEGATIVE:

ALL COME BEFORE THE VERB

(Ud) ¡NO lo Lea!

(tú) ¡NO las Come!

(Uds) ¡NO se Levanten!

multiple pronouns?  NO PROBLEM!

(reminder:  PEOPLE COME FIRST!)

(tú) ¡NO te lo Pongas!

(Ud) ¡NO me los Compre!

So, What's up with the accent marks?
 Simple:  Add something on the end, add an accent mark

For more information on the what, where, how and why of accent marks,
Click Here =>