Study guide
7.4 Affirmative Imperative: Tú & Usted Commands
DELE A2 — Spanish Language Diploma Elementary
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1 Chapter 1: Exam Overview, Format & Scoring Structure
1.1 DELE A2 Identity, Purpose & Nationality Requirements 1.2 Four Pruebas & Official Test Administration 1.3 Scoring System: The 30/50 Group Rules & Pass Criteria
2 Chapter 2: Prueba 1 — Reading Comprehension Tasks & Strategies
2.1 Reading Tarea 1: Personal Correspondence & Informational Texts 2.2 Reading Tarea 2: Notices, Bulletins & Short Announcements 2.3 Reading Tarea 3: Matching Statements to Thematic Texts 2.4 Reading Tarea 4: Long Narrative Text & Changes of Topic
3 Chapter 3: Prueba 2 — Listening Comprehension Tasks & Auditory Techniques
3.1 Listening Tarea 1: Six Short Conversations with Picture Options 3.2 Listening Tarea 2: Radio News, Ads & Programme Extracts 3.3 Listening Tarea 3: One Conversation – Man, Woman or Neither 3.4 Listening Tarea 4: Seven Messages Matched to Ten Statements
4 Chapter 4: Prueba 3 — Written Expression & Interaction
4.1 Writing Tarea 1: Replying to a Personal Message (60–70 Words) 4.2 Writing Tarea 2: Option A (Personal Life) or Option B (Photos/Data) 4.3 The Official Writing Scale, Cohesion & Common Errors
5 Chapter 5: Prueba 4 — Oral Expression & Interaction
5.1 Oral Test Structure, 12-Minute Preparation & Official Scales 5.2 Oral Tarea 1: Prepared Presentation on a Personal Topic 5.3 Oral Tarea 2: Describing a Photograph (Monologue) 5.4 Oral Tarea 3: Simulated Conversation Linked to the Photo
6 Chapter 6: Essential A2 Grammar — Verb Systems & Tenses
6.1 Present Indicative Regulars, Stem-Changers & Irregulars 6.2 Reflexive Verbs & Verbs of Preference (Gustar, Encantar, Doler) 6.3 The Past Tenses: Pretérito Perfecto vs. Pretérito Indefinido 6.4 Pretérito Imperfecto & The Three-Way Past Tense Contrast
7 Chapter 7: Essential A2 Grammar — Syntax, Periphrases & Operators
7.1 Expressing the Future: Ir a + Inf, Present & Simple Future 7.2 Verbal Periphrases of Obligation, Ability & Desire 7.3 Direct & Indirect Object Pronouns and Position Rules 7.4 Affirmative Imperative: Tú & Usted Commands
8 Chapter 8: Foundational Contrasts & Sentence Building
8.1 Ser vs. Estar: Attributes, Locations, States & Gerunds 8.2 Por vs. Para: Causes, Destinations, Deadlines & Exchanges 8.3 Comparatives, Superlatives, Quantifiers & Negatives 8.4 The Noun Phrase: Gender, Articles, Demonstratives, Possessives & Relatives
9 Chapter 9: Thematic Vocabulary — Daily Life, Housing & Surroundings
9.1 Personal Identity, Physical Description & Family Relations 9.2 Home, Housing Types, Furniture & Household Tasks 9.3 City Navigation, Places in Town & Giving Directions
10 Chapter 10: Thematic Vocabulary — Services, Transactions & Health
10.1 Food, Dining Out, Supermarket Shopping & Ordering 10.2 Shopping for Clothes, Sizes, Prices & Commercial Transactions 10.3 Health, Body Parts, Illnesses & Pharmacy Visits 10.4 Work, Professions, Workplace Routines & Job Applications 10.5 Studies, Courses, Phones & Everyday Services
11 Chapter 11: Thematic Vocabulary — Leisure, Travel & Environment
11.1 Free Time, Hobbies, Sports & Entertainment 11.2 Travel, Accommodations, Transport Modes & Bookings 11.3 Weather, Climate, Seasons & Natural Environment
12 Chapter 12: Exam Day Strategy, Time Management & Final Review
12.1 Timing, Answer Sheets & Pacing on Exam Day 12.2 Identifying Distractors, False Friends & Traps 12.3 6-Week Structured Study Plan & High-Yield Checklist
7.4 Affirmative Imperative: Tú & Usted Commands
Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI
The regular affirmative imperative for familiar tú is morphologically identical to the third-person singular (él/ella) of the Present Indicative (-ar > -a; -er/-ir > -e).
Eight foundational irregular verbs form monosyllabic affirmative tú commands (di, haz, ve, pon, sal, sé, ten, ven) that serve as high-frequency directives on the DELE A2.
Formal affirmative commands for usted and ustedes employ the subjunctive vowel swap (-ar > -e/-en; -er/-ir > -a/-an), built directly from the first-person singular (yo) of the Present Indicative.
Communicative applications on the DELE A2 include following instructional recipes, giving street navigation directions, following public notices, and ordering politely in hospitality settings.
Reflexive, direct, and indirect object pronouns must attach enclitically to the tail end of affirmative commands as a single merged word, requiring written graphic accents whenever tonic stress falls on the antepenultimate or earlier syllable.
Last updated: September 2026
Quick Summary: The Affirmative Imperative ( imperativo afirmativo ) is the verbal mood utilized to give direct instructions, offer recommendations, grant permission, and solicit services. On the DELE A2, candidates must fluidly navigate between informal commands for familiar address ( tú ) and formal commands for courteous social address ( usted / ustedes ), while correctly managing enclitic pronoun attachment and orthographic accent marks.
1. Register and Communicative Function on the DELE A2
The choice between tú and usted is not merely grammatical; it is a vital indicator of sociolinguistic competence evaluated in Prueba 4 (Oral Interaction) and Prueba 3 (Written Expression):
Informal Address ( Tuteo — Tú): Used with friends, family members, classmates, coworkers of equal status, and children. In the oral exam, candidates use tú when talking to a peer or explaining a personal recipe.
Formal Address ( Usted / Ustedes ): Used with strangers, elderly individuals, administrative authorities, doctors, and in commercial interactions where respectful distance is expected (e.g., interacting with a shopkeeper, hotel receptionist, or exam examiner). Communicative Map of DELE A2 Imperative Tasks:
- ├── Street Directions (listening, Oral T3): "Gira a la derecha / Siga todo recto"
- ├── Recipes & Instructions (Prueba 1): "Corta las verduras y añade sal"
- ├── Hospitality Requests (Prueba 4 Tarea 3): "Tráigame la cuenta, por favor"
- └── Public Safety Signage (Prueba 1): "Conserve su billete hasta la salida"
- 2. Informal Affirmative Commands: The Tú Paradigm
- Regular Formation Rule
The regular affirmative tú imperative is structurally straightforward: it is identical to the third-person singular ( él / ella / usted ) of the Present Indicative . [ I n f i n i t i v e ] ⟶ [ D r o p Ending ] ⟶ [ − a r → − a ] [ − e r / − i r → − e ] \mathbf{[Infinitive]} \longrightarrow \mathbf{[Drop\text{ Ending}]} \longrightarrow \mathbf{[-ar \rightarrow -a]} \quad \mathbf{[-er/-ir \rightarrow -e]} [ Infinitive ] ⟶ [ Drop Ending ] ⟶ [ − ar → − a ] [ − er/ − ir → − e ]
Conjugation Infinitive 3rd Person Present Indicative Affirmative Imperative ( tú ) Contextual Example
1st ( -ar ) hablar él habla ¡Habla! ¡Habla más despacio, por favor!
1st ( -ar ) doblar él dobla ¡Dobla! ¡Dobla en la primera esquina!
1st ( -ar ) tomar él toma ¡Toma! ¡Toma este autobús directo al centro!
2nd ( -er ) comer él come ¡Come! ¡Come un poco más de fruta fresca!
2nd ( -er ) beber él bebe ¡Bebe! ¡Bebe suficiente agua durante el viaje!
3rd ( -ir ) escribir él escribe ¡Escribe! ¡Escribe tu nombre en la lista!
3rd ( -ir ) abrir él abre ¡Abre! ¡Abre la ventana del salón!
Stem-Changing Verbs in the Tú Imperative
Because the affirmative tú command mirrors the third-person singular of the Present Indicative, verbs with root vowel changes ( e > ie , o > ue , e > i ) preserve their boot stem change in the imperative:
- cerrar (e > ie): ¡ Cierra la puerta al salir! (Close the door upon leaving!)
- volver (o > ue): ¡ Vuelve a casa antes de las diez! (Return home before ten!)
- pedir (e > i): ¡ Pide la cuenta al camarero! (Ask the waiter for the bill!)
- The Eight Core Irregular Monosyllabic Tú Imperatives
Eight essential verbs depart completely from the third-person indicative rule, taking truncated monosyllabic forms. These eight verbs are paramount for the DELE A2:
Infinitive Meaning Irregular Tú Imperative Mnemonic & Example Sentence
decir to say / tell di ¡ Di la verdad siempre!
hacer to do / make haz ¡ Haz los ejercicios de gramática!
ir to go ve ¡ Ve a la farmacia a comprar aspirinas!
poner to put / place pon ¡ Pon los libros encima del escritorio!
salir to leave / exit sal ¡ Sal de casa con tiempo suficiente!
ser to be sé ¡ Sé paciente con los demás! (note graphic accent)
tener to have ten ¡ Ten mucho cuidado al cruzar la calle!
venir to come ven ¡ Ven aquí ahora mismo!
Tip
Memory Rhyme for the 8 Irregulars: Memorize them as a rhythmic cadence: "Ven - Di - Sal - Haz - Ten - Ve - Pon - Sé" . Note that sé ( ser ) carries an obligatory graphic accent mark to distinguish it phonetically from the reflexive pronoun se .
3. Formal Affirmative Commands: The Usted and Ustedes Paradigm
Formal commands are used whenever the speaker addresses someone respectfully as usted (singular) or ustedes (plural). Morphologically, formal commands are built using the Subjunctive Vowel Swap .
The Subjunctive Vowel Swap Formula
Take the first-person singular ( yo ) of the Present Indicative.
Remove the final -o to find the true verbal base.
Add the "opposite" thematic vowel ending:
For -ar verbs: append -e for usted , and -en for ustedes .
For -er and -ir verbs: append -a for usted , and -an for ustedes . [ − a r Verbs ] ⟶ − e (usted) / − e n (ustedes) [ − e r / − i r Verbs ] ⟶ − a (usted) / − a n (ustedes) \mathbf{[-ar\text{ Verbs}]} \longrightarrow \mathbf{-e\text{ (usted)}} \; / \; \mathbf{-en\text{ (ustedes)}} \qquad \mathbf{[-er / -ir\text{ Verbs}]} \longrightarrow \mathbf{-a\text{ (usted)}} \; / \; \mathbf{-an\text{ (ustedes)}} [ − ar Verbs ] ⟶ − e (usted) / − en (ustedes) [ − er/ − ir Verbs ] ⟶ − a (usted) / − an (ustedes)
Infinitive 1st Person ( yo ) Base Formal Singular ( usted ) Formal Plural ( ustedes )
hablar habl o habl- ¡Hable! ¡Hablen!
tomar tom o tom- ¡Tome! ¡Tomen!
comer com o com- ¡Coma! ¡Coman!
escribir escrib o escrib- ¡Escriba! ¡Escriban!
Transfer of First-Person Irregularities
Because formal commands derive directly from the yo form, any irregularity present in yo carries forward into usted and ustedes :
Verbs with -go in yo:
- hacer (hago) -> ¡ Haga ! / ¡ Hagan ! (Do!)
- poner (pongo) -> ¡ Ponga ! / ¡ Pongan ! (Put!)
- tener (tengo) -> ¡ Tenga ! / ¡ Tengan ! (Have!)
- venir (vengo) -> ¡ Venga ! / ¡ Vengan ! (Come!)
- salir (salgo) -> ¡ Salga ! / ¡ Salgan ! (Leave!)
- decir (digo) -> ¡ Diga ! / ¡ Digan ! (Say! / Telephone greeting: ¡Diga! )
- oír (oigo) -> ¡ Oiga ! / ¡ Oigan ! (Hear! / Polite call: ¡Oiga, por favor! )
Verbs with -zco in yo:
conducir (conduzco) -> ¡ Conduzca con precaución! (Drive safely!)
Stem-Changing Verbs:
- cerrar (cierro) -> ¡ Cierre la puerta! (Close the door!)
- volver (vuelvo) -> ¡ Vuelva mañana! (Come back tomorrow!)
- pedir (pido) -> ¡ Pida el menú del día! (Order the daily menu!)
- The Five Radical Irregular Usted Forms
Five verbs cannot derive their formal commands from a standard yo form and must be memorized independently:
Infinitive Meaning Formal Singular ( usted ) Formal Plural ( ustedes )
ir to go ¡Vaya! ¡Vayan!
ser to be ¡Sea! ¡Sean!
saber to know ¡Sepa! ¡Sepan!
dar to give ¡Dé! (with graphic accent) ¡Den!
estar to be (state) ¡Esté! (with graphic accent) ¡Estén!
- 4. Real-World Communicative Applications on DELE A2
- 1. Giving and Interpreting Street Directions ( Dar y Seguir Direcciones )
Directions appear in listening conversations and messages, and you may need them in an Oral Tarea 3 situation (for example, telling a friend how to get to your house). Use directional imperatives fluently:
- Informal Directive ( tú ) Formal Directive ( usted ) English Translation
- Sigue todo recto Siga todo recto Continue straight ahead
- Gira a la derecha / izquierda Gire a la derecha / izquierda Turn right / left
- Toma la segunda calle Tome la segunda calle Take the second street
- Cruza la plaza mayor Cruce la plaza mayor Cross the main square
- Pasa el semáforo Pase el semáforo Pass the traffic light
- 2. Cooking Recipes and Instructional Guides (Prueba 1 Tarea 3)
Written reading texts frequently feature instructions for food preparation:
Corta dos cebollas en trozos pequeños.*
Calienta el aceite en la sartén y añade las patatas.*
- Bata los huevos con un poco de sal antes de verterlos.* (Formal recipe register)
- 3. Polite Requests in Commercial Services (Prueba 4 Tarea 3)
Por favor, tráigame un vaso de agua mineral. (Please bring me a glass of water).
Póngame un café con leche y una tostada.* (Standard courteous bar order in Spain).
Espere un momento en la sala, por favor.* (Wait a moment in the lounge, please).
5. Enclitic Pronoun Attachment and Graphic Accentuation Rules
In affirmative imperative syntax, an ironclad rule governs pronoun placement: [ A f f i r m a t i v e Imperative Form ] + [ P r o n o u n ( s ) Attached Directly as a Single Word ] \mathbf{[Affirmative\text{ Imperative Form}]} + \mathbf{[Pronoun(s)\text{ Attached Directly as a Single Word}]} [ Affirmative Imperative Form ] + [ Pronoun ( s ) Attached Directly as a Single Word ]
Pronouns cannot precede an affirmative imperative ( *Me di or *Lo compra are ungrammatical as commands). They must attach directly to the end of the verb ( enclisis ).
Single Pronoun Attachment
Reflexive Pronouns: levantarse (tú) -> ¡Levántate! ; sentarse (usted) -> ¡Siéntese!
Direct Object Pronouns: comprar el pan (tú) -> ¡Cómpralo! ; cerrar la ventana (tú) -> ¡Ciérrala!
Indirect Object Pronouns: ayudar a mí (tú) -> ¡Ayúdame! ; decir a nosotros (usted) -> ¡Díganos!
Double Pronoun Attachment (Indirect + Direct: OI + OD)
When both an indirect and a direct object attach to an imperative, remember the Golden Order ( OI before OD ) and the le -> se mutation:
Dar el dinero a mí (tú): da + me + lo -> ¡Dámelo!
Traer la cuenta a nosotros (usted): traiga + nos + la -> ¡Tráiganosla!
Entregar los documentos al cliente (usted): entregue + le + los -> ¡Entrégueselos! (le mutates to se) Double Enclitic Blueprint:
[Verb Form] + [OI: me / te / nos / se] + [OD: lo / la / los / las]
Example: ¡Tráiga-nos-la! --> ¡Tráiganosla!
The Mandatory Graphic Accentuation Rule
Attaching pronouns to an imperative increases the word's syllable count without shifting its original spoken stress. In Spanish phonology:
If an original command was paroxytone ( llana , stressed on the second-to-last syllable) like compra or tome , attaching one pronoun pushes stress to the antepenultimate syllable ( esdrújula ). All palabras esdrújulas require a written accent :
compra + lo -> ¡Cómpralo!
tome + lo -> ¡Tómelo!
siente + se -> ¡Siéntese!
Attaching two pronouns to any verb (even monosyllabic forms like da or haz ) creates a proparoxytone ( esdrújula or sobresdrújula ), making a graphic accent mandatory:
da + me + lo -> ¡Dámelo!
haz + me + lo -> ¡Házmelo!
di + se + lo -> ¡Díselo!
Caution
Monosyllabic imperatives with only one attached pronoun do not take an accent because they form simple two-syllable paroxytone words ending in a vowel: hazlo, ponlo, tenlo, dime, vente .
6. Common DELE A2 Candidate Pitfalls & Examiner Advice
Pitfall 1: Mixing Tú and Usted in the Same Discourse: Candidates often start a dialogue using tú ( Pasa, siéntate ) and then switch to usted ( ¿Desea algo de beber? ). Choose one register based on the exam task instructions and maintain consistency throughout.
Pitfall 2: Using the Infinitive for Direct Commands: Many beginners write *¡Hablar más despacio! or *¡Comprar las manzanas! . When you speak to someone directly, the infinitive is not an imperative. Impersonal written instructions do use it ( No fumar , recipe steps like Cortar la cebolla ), and you will see them in reading texts. When addressing a person, conjugate into the proper imperative: ¡Habla más despacio! or ¡Hable más despacio! .
Pitfall 3: Placing Pronouns in Front of Affirmative Commands: Saying *¡Te levanta! or *¡Lo haz! are unacceptable errors. Affirmatives require enclisis: ¡Levántate! and ¡Hazlo! .
Pitfall 4: Forgetting the Accent on Polysyllabic Enclitics: Omitting the accent mark in cómpralo, tráigamelo, explícanos is a frequent source of point deductions in written grading. Always check your imperative forms for required tildes.