The imperative (commands): The imperative (der Imperativ) is how German gives commands, instructions and advice — do this, don't do that. You use it for recipes, directions, signs and tips. The trick to remember: German has four command forms — for du (one friend), ihr (several friends), Sie (formal) and wir (let's…) — and the verb comes first in the sentence (no subject for du/ihr).
- der Imperativ
- the imperative — the command form («do this!»)
- der Befehl / die Aufforderung
- a command / a request — what the imperative expresses
- die du-Form
- command to ONE person you know well (Komm! / Geh!)
- die ihr-Form
- command to SEVERAL people you know (Kommt! / Geht!)
- die Sie-Form
- formal command, keeps the pronoun Sie (Kommen Sie!)
- die wir-Form
- the «let's…» command (Gehen wir! = let's go)
When you reach for it: Any time the task is a recipe, a set of directions, an instruction sheet or a piece of advice, you'll use the imperative. «Geh geradeaus», «Vergiss den Helm nicht», «Probier dieses Gericht» — short, direct, and very common in the writing tasks.
Four forms, person by person: Here's the map. The du command is the verb stem (drop the -en, often drop the -st too): mach! geh! The ihr command is the present ihr-form (macht! geht!). The Sie and wir commands are the infinitive + Sie / + wir with the verb first (Machen Sie! Machen wir!). Watch the e→i / e→ie stem-change verbs in the du-form — they keep the change but take no -e (gib! nimm! lies!).
| Person | machen | gehen | nehmen (e→i) |
|---|---|---|---|
| du | Mach! | Geh! | Nimm! |
| ihr | Macht! | Geht! | Nehmt! |
| Sie | Machen Sie! | Gehen Sie! | Nehmen Sie! |
| wir («let's») | Machen wir! | Gehen wir! | Nehmen wir! |
| Infinitiv | du-Befehl | Bedeutung |
|---|---|---|
| sein | Sei! | be! |
| haben | Hab! | have! |
| geben (e→i) | Gib! | give! |
| nehmen (e→i) | Nimm! | take! |
| lesen (e→ie) | Lies! | read! |
| sehen (e→ie) | Sieh! | look / see! |
| essen (e→i) | Iss! | eat! |
| fahren (no -e, no ä) | Fahr! | drive / go! |
Verb first, no subject for du/ihr: The du and ihr commands drop the subject and put the verb first: Komm her! Macht die Tür zu! The Sie and wir commands keep the pronoun but still put the verb first: Kommen Sie! Gehen wir! A short -e is optional on most du-forms (mach / mache) but never on e→i verbs (gib, never gibe).
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Five everyday jobs: The imperative shows up wherever someone is told what to do. Here are the five contexts you meet most in the exam — each with a German example. Notice how short and direct each command is, and how separable verbs split apart.
Wofür man den Imperativ braucht
- Instructions — «Füll das Formular aus und unterschreib unten.» (Fill in the form and sign below.)
- Recipes — «Gib zwei Eier dazu und rühr alles gut um.» (Add two eggs and stir everything well.)
- Directions — «Geh geradeaus und biege rechts ab.» (Go straight on and turn right.)
- Advice — «Ruh dich mehr aus und mach dir nicht so viele Sorgen.» (Rest more and don't worry so much.)
- Signs & notices — «Rauch hier nicht. Halt die Tür geschlossen.» (Don't smoke here. Keep the door closed.)
Match the command to your reader: Use the du command for a friend or someone your age («Probier das»), the ihr command for a group of friends («Probiert das»), and the Sie command for someone you address formally («Probieren Sie das, bitte»). For a recipe or a public sign, the du command or the impersonal infinitive is common («Salz hinzufügen»).
A recipe, step by step: Here's a short recipe, built one instruction at a time. Each step uses the imperative — mostly du commands, with a separable verb that splits (gib … hinzu), nicht-negation, and the wir «let's» form at the end. Read it once, then tap Übersetzung anzeigen for the English or 🔊 to hear it.
Der Imperativ in Aktion
Ein Rezept, Schritt für Schritt
- Wasch zuerst die Tomaten und schneide sie in kleine Stücke.
- Stell eine Pfanne auf den Herd und gib etwas Olivenöl hinzu.
- Lass die Soße nicht anbrennen; rühr sie vorsichtig um.
- Wenn sie fertig ist, servier sie heiß und probier sie vorher.
- Zum Schluss essen wir alle zusammen und genießen das Essen.
Steal this for instructions: Notice the pattern: short imperative verbs (wasch, schneide, stell, gib, rühr) plus sequence words (zuerst, dann, zum Schluss). Swap in any process — a recipe, directions, a how-to — and you have a tidy set of instructions. Watch the separable prefix: it jumps to the end (gib Öl hinzu, rühr sie um).
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The slips to watch for: Three mistakes dominate the German imperative. First: leaving the subject in for du/ihr (you must drop it). Second: forgetting the e→i stem change in the du-form (it's «Nimm!», not «Nehm!»). Third: using the infinitive as a command to a person instead of the proper form. Compare the right version with the typical mistake.
Richtig
- Komm bitte her!
- Nimm den Bus, er ist schneller.
- Macht die Tür zu!
Häufiger Fehler
- Du komm bitte her!
- Nehm den Bus.
- Zumachen die Tür!
Subject out, stem change in, prefix to the end: For du/ihr commands, drop the pronoun and put the verb first. Keep the e→i / e→ie change in the du-form (gib, nimm, lies, sieh, iss). And let the separable prefix jump to the end (mach die Tür zu, steh früh auf). Never use a bare infinitive as a command to a person.