In Italian, the imperative form is used to:
– communicate orders, instructions, directions or advices
– ask for attention
– give someone the permission to do something.
The imperative is used with four conjugations: tu, Lei (formal), noi e voi.
On this page, you can find explanations and examples regarding the imperative in the second singular, ‘tu’.
For regular verbs, verbs in the first group (e.g. mangi-are) use the ending -a whereas verbs in the second and third groups (eg. prend-ere, dorm-ire) use the ending -i. For example:
Verbs ending in -are
mangiare – mangia! (tu)
parlare – parla! (tu)
studiare – studia! (tu)
Verbs ending in -ere and -ire:
leggere – leggi! (tu)
scrivere – scrivi! (tu)
dormire – dormi! (tu)
partire – parti! (tu)
Some verbs have an irregular imperative form. The most frequent ones are listed here:
fare – fa’ (tu)
andare – va’ (tu)
dire – di’ (tu)
dare- da’ (tu)
stare – sta’ (tu)
essere – sii (tu)
avere – abbi (tu)
sapere – sappi (tu)
Reflexive verbs add the pronoun at the end of the verb, as in these examples:
sveglarsi – svegliati! (tu)
spostarsi – spostati! (tu)
vestirsi – vestiti! (tu)
Direct pronouns are added at the end of the verbs, forming a single word, as in these examples:
leggi il libro – leggilo
bevi la spremuta – bevila
mangia le mele – mangiale
indossa i vestiti – indossali
metti le scarpe al loro posto – mettile al loro posto
This is also true for the irregular verbs but some of them add an extra letter. The sound of the word becomes stronger to enhance the pronoun. For example:
fare (fa’) + mi = fammi!
dire (di’)+ mi = dimmi!
dare (da’) + mi = dammi!
Da’ la lettera a Manuel! – Dalla a Manuel!
Di’ il tuo problema a Caterina! – Dillo a Caterina!
Forming the negative imperative is very easy. You just have to use the negation ‘non’ and the infinitive form of the verb. For example:
fare – non fare!
leggere – non leggere!
studiare – non studiare!
dormire- non dormire!
With the negative imperative, pronouns are added at the end of the verb, in which case the infinitive drops the final -e. For example:
fare + lo – non farlo!
dire + lo – non dirlo!
fare + mi – non farmi!
dare + mi – non darmi!
Back to Italian lesson on: The Imperative
