Informal affirmative and negative TÚ commands

1. Informal Tú commands

2. What is a command?
 Commands are used to tell
someone what to do or NOT to do.
 Example: Set the table!
 Don’t eat in class!
 Tú commands are informal and
used with friends and family.

3. AFFIRMATIVE Tú commands
 Affirmative commands tell someone what TO DO.
 To form the affirmative tú command:
 Put the verb in the tú form
 drop the –s (this is also the él form of the verb!)
 Ex. Hablar  hablas  ¡habla!
Comer  comes  ¡come!

4. Práctica A: Write the AFFIRMATIVE tú
command for each verb:
1. Bailar
2. Beber
3. Escribir
4. Estudiar
5. Ayudar
6. Leer
7. Vivir

5. Irregular Affirmative Tú commands
 These verbs have Hacer Haz Do!/Make!
irregular Poner Pon Put!/Place!
affirmative tú
commands: Venir Ven Come!
Tener Ten Have!
Salir Sal Leave!
Decir Di Say!/Tell!
Ser Sé Be!
Ir Ve Go!

6. Negative Tú Commands
 Negative commands tell someone what NOT to do!
 To form a Negative Tú command:
Don’t swim-
1. Put the verb in the YO form.
No nadar
2. Drop the –O.
1. nado
3. Add the OPPOSITE tú ending:
2. nad-
-AR verbs add  -ES 3. nades
-ER/-IR verbs add  -AS No nades!

7. Examples of Negative tú commands:
 Hablar  hablo  no hables
 Comer  como  no comas
 Escribir  escribo  no escribas
!OJO! Verbs with irregular YO forms will have
irregular Negative TÚ commands:
Ex. hacer  hago  no hagas
Poner  pongo  no pongas

8. Práctica B: Write the NEGATIVE Tú command
for the following verbs:
Don’t forget to find the YO form first!
1. hablar
2. Leer
3. escribir
4. tener
5. Poner
6. traer

9. Irregular Negative Tú commands
 Some verbs have to change spelling in the Negative tú
command:
 If the verb ends with:
 -GAR  change to –GUES  llegar = no llegues
 -CAR  change to –QUES  tocar = no toques
 -ZAR  change to –CES cruzar = no cruces
 This preserves the original sound of the G & the C;
Spanish doesn’t usually use an E after a Z

10. Irregular Negative Tú commands
 These verbs have irregular negative Tú commands:
 SER  no seas
 ESTAR  no estés
 DAR  no des
 IR  no vayas
 You must memorize these!

11. Práctica C: Translate these commands to
English.
1. Habla español en la clase.
2. No bebas leche cerca de la computadora.
3. Escribe tu nombre en los papeles.
4. No pongas la hamburguesa en la mochila.
5. No llegues tarde a la escuela.
6. No estés triste.
7. Haz la tarea.
8. No vayas al baño.