Imperative in French. Verb moods in French. What is the imperative mood l'impératif
Any foreign language has different verb forms, just like French. The most complex and extensive to study in foreign languages parts of speech are verbs. They have many forms, declensions, conjugations. In the study of verbs, your concentration and readiness for in-depth study, but here is the imperative used in French, extremely simple.
What is the imperative mood l'impératif?
Considering moods, I would like to remind you what this term means. Mood is the grammatical form of the verb, which indicates the modality of the verb. That is, it is a certain characteristic that gives an idea of the reality of the narrative or indicates the attitude of the speaking person to the listening person. This inclination involves inducing someone to some specific action or request, as well as to a wish or order. The imperative mood comes in three forms:
- First, it is 2 l. units numbers,
- Secondly, this is the 2nd l. pl. numbers,
- Thirdly, 1st l. pl. numbers.
Remember the most important rule: In the imperative mood, the subject expressed by the pronoun is never used!
It should be noted that the forms of the imperative mood of French verbs completely coincide with their present tense forms, which are presented in the indicative mood. But there is one feature that must be taken into account when using verbs in the imperative mood. This is a verb group.
You probably know that all French verbs are divided into the first, second and third groups. So, depending on which verb group the verb belongs to, the rules for the formation of the imperative mood can change.
Formation of the imperative mood - Formation de l'impératif
Consider on the verb of the 1st group - chercher (search): Cherche! (search!), Cherchons! (let's search!), Cherchez! (search!).
Group 2 verb - obéir (obey), example: Obéis! (obey!), Obéissons! (let's obey!), Obéissez! (obey!).
Group 3 verb - boire (to drink), example: Bois! (drink!), Buvons! (let's drink, let's drink!), Buvez! (sing!).
Recall the exception on the example of the verbs of the 3rd group ofrir (offer) - Offre! (offer!), aller (go) - Va! (Go!) and other verbs of the 3rd group ending in -frir, -vrir. The final "s" of such verbs in the imperative mood disappears!
There are also other exceptions to the rules presented that you need to learn:
Group 3 verb avoir (to have): aie! ayons! ayeez!
Group 3 verb être (to be): sois! soyons! soyez!
Group 3 verb savoir (to know): sache! sachons! sachez!
Formation of the imperative mood of reflexive verbs
Let's remind ourselves what reflexive verbs are. These are verbs whose action is directed relative to oneself, in Russian they end in -sya, and in French they begin in se-. For example: Wake up, Get up - SE lever.
When forming the imperative mood of such verbs in French, you need to be especially careful:
When it comes to the affirmative form, then SE is a reflexive particle of the French language, which is placed after the verb and in the person in which the verb is used.
For example: Promenons-nous! Or Asseyez-vous!
And for 2 l. units h. uses the stressed form of the pronoun Calme-toi! In the first case, the stressed form must also be used, but the pronouns "nous" and "vous" remain in the same form, since their stressed and unstressed forms are the same.
Remember that in writing you must put a hyphen between the verb and the reflexive particle!
If it comes to negation, then the reflexive particle is placed before the verb, after the negative particle "ne". It is used in its unstressed form.
For example: Ne te plains pas! Or: Ne nous doutons pas! Or: Ne vous hatez pas!
Simple and compound imperative
We have already met with simple forms of the imperative mood earlier, so let's talk in more detail about the complex form. Yes, the French imperative can be both simple and complex, a vivid analogy of which is the tense system of the verb.
The complex form of the imperative mood is not used as often as the simple one. It is formed by adding to the simple imperative form of the verb 3 of the group "avoir" or "etre" a simple participle taken in the form of the past tense (participe passe - participe passé) of the conjugated verb. Which auxiliary verb will be used depends on the rules for the formation of tense passé composé (passé compose).
If you remember, there are a number of verbs that conjugate with different auxiliaries.
For example: Aie parle! (you), Ayez cherche! (you), Sois venu(e)! (you), Soyez parti(e,s,es)! (You).
A complex form of the imperative in French is used to denote an action that is completed before a certain point in the future.
For example: Ayez rédigé (eye redige) votre rapport (votre rapor) avant neuf heures (avant noveur) et vous serez recompensé (e wu seure rocompanse). Finish your report before 9 o'clock and you will be rewarded.
And also such complexity of inclination was invented to give the action a certain “completeness”
For example: Ayez fini ce rapport à cinq heures (Eye fini se rapor a sanker). Finish your report by 5 o'clock.
The tricky part about learning moods is that their forms can ask for information about verb tenses that you learned earlier. If you have studied everything carefully and your memory is fresh, then there will never be any difficulties! Successful study!
The imperative mood in French (Impératif), as in Russian, is used to express an order, request, advice or wish.
The verb in the imperative mood in French has only three forms: 2 person singular, 1 and 2 person plural.
The imperative mood in French is used both in the present tense (Impératif présent) and in the past (Impératif passé). Below are the options for the formation of Impératif présent verbs with different endings.
Verbs with -ir and -re endings in the infinitive
When forming the imperative mood, verbs with the endings -ir and -re in the infinitive (i.e. all verbs of the 2nd group and part of the irregular verbs of the 3rd group) have the same form as when conjugated in the present tense in the indicative mood (Présent de l' indicator).
For example:
Present de l'indicatif
tu applaudis - you applaud;
nous applaudissons - we applaud;
vous applaudissez - you applaud.
Imperatif present
Forme affirmative Forme negative
Applaudis! - Applaud! N'applaudis pas! - Don't applaud!
Applaudissons! - Let's applaud! N'applaudissons pas! - Let's not applaud!
Applaudissez! - Applaud! N'applaudissez pas! - Do not applaud!
Verbs with the endings -er, -frir, -vrir in the infinitive
All verbs ending in -er in the infinitive (i.e. verbs of the 1st group, as well as the irregular verb aller - go) and irregular verbs ending in -frir, -vrir, when forming the imperative mood in the 2nd person singular do not have an ending - s. In 1st and 2nd person plurals, the imperative mood is the same as in the present tense conjugation.
For example:
Present de l'indicatif Impératif present
tu danses - you dance; Danse! - Dance!
nous dansons - we dance; Dansons! - Let's Dance!
vous dansez - you are dancing. Dansez! - Dance!
Moods in French are as follows: indicative (indicatif), imperative (impératif), conditional (conditionnel) and subjunctive (subjonctif).
Each mood in French has several forms of tense. The tense in which the verb is located determines the moment of speech to which the action refers (present, past or future). In addition, the duration of the action can be expressed in various forms verb regarding the time of another action. The following relations are possible: simultaneity, precedence or following the action.
The speaker is aware of the action as a definite, real one that takes place in the present (present moment), past or future tense.
This mood is divided into 9 verb tenses, 5 of which are simple: le Présent, l'Imparfait, le Passé simple, le Futur simple, le Futur dans le passé, and 4 are complex: le Passé composé, le Plus-que-parfait, le Passé immediat (Le Passé récent), le Futur immediat (Le Futur proche).
This inclination induces to a certain action, request, wish or order and exists in three forms: 2nd l. units and many others. numbers, 1st l. pl. numbers. In the imperative mood, the pronoun-subject is not used.
Regard! - Look! Regardez! — Look!
Regardons! - Let's see! (Let's get a look!)
Fais! — Do it! Choice! — Choose!
Faites! — Do it! Choisesez! — Choose!
Faisons! - Let's do! Choisissons! - We choose!
Reflexive verbs:
Leve-toi! - Get up! Levez vous! - Get up! Levons nous! - Let's get up!
Le Conditionnel denotes an action that may be possible, intended or desired. This inclination denotes an action, the possibility of which depends on specific and certain conditions.
Le Conditionnel has two tenses: le Conditionnel présent and le Conditionnel passé. Both times are translated by one form of the conditional mood.
Le Conditionnel présent is similar in form to le Futur dans le passé.
Il voudrait lire ce roman. He would like to read this novel.
Il pourrait être la. “He's probably there.
Si j'étais fort, je t'aidais. “If I were strong, I would help you.
Le Conditionnel passé is formed using the auxiliary verbs avoir or être, which are found in le Conditionnel présent and le Participe passé of the conjugated verb.
Si j'avais eu ton numéro, je t'aurais telephoné le soir. — If I had your number, I would call you in the evening.
Si tu étais venu au stade, tu aurais assisté à un match splendide. - If you came to the stadium, you would be present at a great match.
Le Subjonctif denotes an action intended, possible under certain circumstances, conditions, or desired. It is usually used after impersonal turns and verbs expressing will, order, prohibition (vouloir, prier, il faut, il semble), as well as in subordinate clauses after some allied words and conjunctions.
Il faut que j'aille à la poste. - I need to go to the post office.
Je veux que vous écoutiez l'instructeur. — I want you to listen to the instructor.
Le Subjonctif présent is formed by adding the 3-person plural to the stem. numbers of the indicative mood (Indicatif) endings: -e, -es, -e, -ions, -iez, -ent.
Exceptions to this rule are the verbs avoir, être and some verbs: parler, finir, mettre.
Usage examples for le Subjonctif
Je ne suis pas sûr qu'il fasse beau demain. I'm not sure the weather will be good tomorrow.
Il n'y a personne qui puisse l'aider. “No one can help him.
Je serais bien content qu'il soit la. “I would be very pleased to have him there.
Il me demande que je revienne le lendemain. He asks me to come back the next day.
Que personne ne sorte! - No one should come out! (Let no one come out!)
Note: Le Subjonctif has other tenses, but the most commonly used is le Subjonctif présent.
--> Forms ImperatifImperatif (imperative mood) - denotes an action, the commission or non-commission of which the speaker requires.
General information
Verbs in imperatif do not have a subject.
Imperatif has only two forms:
- second person singular and plural
- first person plural
Chantons! - Let's sing!
Finissons! - Let's finish!
Partons! - Let's go to!
The verb pouvoir is not used in the imperative mood.
Action in the imperative mood, by the very meaning of this mood, can only refer to the future. In French, a command is usually expressed in the present tense ( imperatif present). Along with this, in French there are forms of the past tense of the imperative mood ( imperatif passe), which express the temporal relationship of precedence and the specific shade of the completeness of the action.
Imperatif present
Forms imperatif present most verbs are formed from the same stem as the corresponding forms present de l "indicatif. The exceptions are the verbs avoir, être, savoir and vouloir, which have special stems.
The verbs of the first group, as well as the verbs aller, avoir, savoir, ouvrir, offrir, cueillir, are distinguished by the absence of a final -s in the second person singular. However, if the verb is followed by the words y or en , the final -s is saved. Compare:
Parle! – Speak!
Parle s-en! - Talk about it!
Pense! – Think!
Pense s-y! - Think about it!
Forms imperatif present plurals are similar to the corresponding forms present de l "indicatif(except for the exceptions described above).
The following are examples of verb conjugations in imperatif present.
You can additionally familiarize yourself with the conjugation of the verbs of the first, second and third groups on the page Typical conjugation of French verbs.
Imperatif passe
Forms imperatif passe formed with an auxiliary verb (avoir or être) in imperatif present And participe passe(past participles) of the semantic verb.
Imperatif passé is an unused form. It expresses an action that must be performed by some point in the future.
Sois revenu dans une demi-heure.
Come back in half an hour.
Ayez termine ce travail avant midi.
Finish this work before noon.
Negative form
The negative form of verbs in impératif is formed by general rule construction of negation: the particle is placed before the verb ne, and after the verb the particle pas or other words used in negation (personne, rien, etc.)
Ne parle pas. - Do not speak.
Ne fais pas attention. - Do not pay attention.
N "ayez pas peur. - Do not be afraid.
Ne soyons pas naifs! Let's not be naive!
Ne dites rien. - Don't say anything.
In living colloquial language, the particle ne is most often omitted before the verb.
Parle pas. - Do not speak. (colloquial)
Fais pas attention. - Do not pay attention. (colloquial)
Impératif and reflexive verbs
A feature of the conjugation of reflexive verbs in impératif is that in the affirmative form, reflexive pronouns are placed after the verb. In this case, the reflexive pronoun te takes the form of the stressed pronoun toi.
Leve- toi! - Get up!
Amusons nous! - Let's have some fun!
Habillez vous. - Get dressed.
In the negative form impératif, reflexive pronouns do not change and remain before the verb.
Ne te leve pas! - Don't get up!
Ne vous habillez pas. - Don't get dressed.
