MANDATOS

*Commanding with Respect

It is very important to be polite when traveling to other countries.

When addressing people, you may need to suggest that they do something, but it needs to sound polite.

There is an easy way to do this in Spanish: you use a formal command.

* Usted commandsThe Usted/ formal command is formed by:

taking the YO form of the verb,

dropping the O,

and adding the opposite ending in the present-tense, third person singular:

For –AR verbs, drop the O and add E.

Ex: Hablar Hablo

_hable____

For –ER / -IR verbs, drop the O and add A. Ex: Comer Como

__coma_____

Ejemplo:

Señor Chavez, por favor entre el museo.

Mr. Chavez, please enter the museum.

To make these negative, just add “no” before the command

Ejemplo:

No coma el pastel.

Do not eat the cake.

* Ustedes commandsThe Ustedes Command (plural) is formed by:

taking the YO form of the verb,

dropping the O,

and adding the opposite ending in the present-tense, third person plural:

For –AR verbs, drop the O and add EN.

Ex: Hablar Hablo

Hablen

For –ER / -IR verbs, drop the O and add AN.

Ex: Comer Como

Coman

Verb Usted Command Ustedes Command

Estudiar    

Abrir    

Aprender    

Tener Tenga  

Hacer    

Poner    

Decir    

Salir    

Venir    

* IrregularesVerb Usted Command Ustedes Command

Ir Vaya  

Dar Dé  

Estar Esté  

Ser Sea  

Saber Sepa  

1.(You formal) Work to live. _________________________________

2.(All of you) Set the table. ______________________________

3.(You formal) Have a good day. _______________________________

4.(All of you) Do your homework. ________________________________

5.Come back! (Usted, volver)_________________

6. Don’t fall asleep! ________________________

7. Have a snack. (usted) ______________________________

8. Feed the cats! (ustedes, dar de comer a) ___________________________________

9. Bring a friend! (ustedes) ____________________________

10. Don’t write letters. (usted) _____________________________________

11. Help our friend! (usted) __________________________________

12. Go out with me. (usted) _______________________________________

*Remember Car, Gar, Zar?That also applies here. If you are switching a verb that ends in car, gar, zar, then :

Gar -> gue

Car -> que

Zar -> ce.

Almorzar = almuercen (all of you, have lunch)

All of you, take out the trash (sacar la basura) =

Saquen la basura

Look for the book (usted or ustedes) =

Busque / busquen el libro

Play the piano (usted or ustedes) =

Toque/ toquen el piano

1. I ought to study. ________________________________________

2. They should listen. _____________________________________

3. You ought to do your homework. ________________________________________

4. We should not wear more makeup. ________________________________________

5. He should use deodorant. ________________________________________

*Commands with Double Object Pronouns

*Form the Usted or Ustedes command as usual.

*For positive Usted/Ustedes commands, attach the IOP first, then the DOP.

*Accent on the FOURTH to last syllable

*Example:

*Pedro va a recomendar las enchiladas a nosotros.

*Command: Pedro, recommend the enchiladas to us!

*Las enchiladas DOP = Las

*A nosotros IOP = Nos

*Recomiendo -> Recomiende

*Command + IOP plus DOP = Recomiendenoslas = accent on 4th to last:

*Recomiéndenoslas = Recommend us them!

*Example:

*Pedro va a traer el menú a Susana.

*Command: Pedro, bring her the menu!

*El menú DOP =will become “lo.”

*A Susana IOP = would be LE, but since you will have a le lo that’s NOT okay! Will become SE.

*Bring in YO form = Traigo, opp. Ending = Traiga.

*Traiga + (IOP)SE + (DOP) LO = Traigaselo, accent on 4th to last =

* Tráigaselo.

*All of you, give the letter to my sisters!

*Command: Dar = den

*La carta DOP = _La__

*A mis hermanas IOP = __les becomes se____

*____Dénsela______

*No 4th to last syllable, so you have to put it as far as it can go!

*Tell me the truth (la verdad).

*Command = ___diga_____

*IOP and DOP = ___me and la_______

* __Dígamela_____

*Negative with Double Object Pronouns

*Form the Usted or Ustedes command as usual.

*For negative Usted/Ustedes commands, put the NO first, then the IOP, then the DOP, THEN the command.

*No accent needed!

*Don’t serve us the potatoes, don’t serve us them.

*Yo form of server = sirvo, drop the O, make it an A.

*Nos and Las will be your IOP and DOP

*¡No nos las sirva!

*Don’t read him the story (el cuento).

*Leer -> lea

*Le and lo will be your IOP and DOP, but Le has to become _______.

*¡No se lo lea!

*Don’t buy her the chocolate.

*Command = __compre_

*IOP and DOP = le becomes se, lo

*Final answer = ¡No se lo compre!

*All of you, don’t teach the students the word.

*Command = ___enseñen__

*IOP and DOP= __les becomes se, la palabra = la_____

*Final answer = __No se la enseñen_____

*Don’t show the dog the food!

*Command = _muestre_____

*IOP and DOP = _se and la_____

* __¡ No se la muestre!______