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Commands
To order someone around, use the present
tense tu, vous, or nous forms. If the form ends
in es, or as drop the final s.
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| parler |
tu parles
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Parle! |
speak |
| vous parlez |
Parlez! |
speak |
| nous parlons |
Parlons! |
let's speak |
| finir |
tu finis |
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Finis! |
finish |
| vous finissez |
Finissez! |
finish |
| nous finissons |
Finissons! |
let's finish |
| ir |
tu vas |
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Va! |
go |
| vous allez |
Allez! |
go |
| nous allons |
Allons! |
let's go |
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Chantez-moi une chanson! Sing me a song!
Range ta chambre! Tidy up your room!
Va faire les courses! Go run the errands!
Ouvrons la fenêtre! Ça pu. Lets open the window. It stinks! |
Orders using the following verbs, however, are formed with subjunctive
forms.
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être |
to be |
Sois |
savoir |
to know |
Sache |
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Soyez |
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Sachez |
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Soyons |
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Sachons |
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avoir |
to have |
Aie |
vouloir |
to want |
Veuille* |
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Ayez |
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Veuillez* |
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Ayons |
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Sois sage! Be wise!
Aie de la pitie pour moi! Have mercy on me! |
*The vouloir forms are used to politely ask someone to do something.
They aren't really orders.
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Veuillez vous s’asseoir! Please sit down. |
When the verb is reflexive, use a disjuctive
pronoun rather than a regular reflexive pronoun.
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Réveillez-vous. Levez-vous. Taisez-vous.
Wake up.
Get yourself up. Shut up. |
When a pronoun like y or en follows one of the verbs that
drops the final s, don't drop the s.
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Vas-y. Go on.
Parlez-en. Speak about it.
Allons-y. Lets go on |
Tell someone not to do something by negating
the verb in the customary way.
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Ne sois pas en retard! Don't be late.(formal)
Sois pas en retard! Don't be late. (informal) |
practice
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