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The separable verbs keep the particle at the end:
Ruf mich an! - Call me!
Some other irregular verbs having umlaut in the present tense, they lose it in the imperative “schlafen - schläfst”
Schlaf nicht! - Don’t sleep!
Some irregular verbs change their stem:
Lies den Text! - Read the text
The second rule doesn’t apply to the verbs whose stem ends in -d, -t, -m, -n, -ig, -eln, ern, the addition of “-e” makes it easier to pronounce
Öffne das Fenster! - Open the window!
Mr. Puddle: Werden and Wissen for “du”. Good!
Mr. Kitty Hawk: : Danke! I hate it!
Mr. Puddle: Great! The last one: what are the exceptions?
Mr. Kitty Hawk: : “Sein” for all persons “Sei, Seien” and… umm….
Mr. Puddle: “Bitte, bleib ruhig!”, although “Sei ruhig” also has a similar meaning. The next one: what happens with “wir” and “Sie” at imperative?
Mr. Puddle: I hope so! Time for a test. How do you say… “Please, keep calm”
Mr. Kitty Hawk: They change the order exactly as it is in a question: “Sagen Sie etwas!” or “Fangen wir an!”
Mr. Kitty Hawk : Umm.. I guess….”Bitte, sei ruhig”?
Mr. Kitty Hawk: Mr Puddles, this lesson is so easy that i hate it!
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| Du | Schreib ihm eine email! Trinke einen Kaffee! Sag etwas! |
Nimm diese Katze! Lies das Buch! Fahr nicht so viel! |
Mach die Tür zu! Hol mich ab dort! Wach jetzt auf! |
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| Wir | Machen wir das Frühstück! Singen wir dieses Lied! Lass uns feiern! |
Helfen wir ihm! Geben wir alles! Lass uns später schwimmen! |
Fangen wir an! Schauen wir uns das Video an Fahren wir weg! |
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| Sie | Arbeiten Sie mehr! Fragen Sie mich! Erklären Sie ihm alles! |
Helfen Sie uns! Streiten Sie nicht mit ihm! Vergessen Sie bitte sein Verhalten! |
Fangen Sie an! Machen Sie das Fenster auf! Bringen Sie etwas mit! |
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| Ihr | Wartet ihr bitte! Sucht ihr etwas anderes! Zeigt mir das Auto! |
Kommt hier! Liest alles heute! Seid ruhig! |
Stellt euch vor! Ruft uns an! Ladet ihn ein! |
Special Exception: Mall & Bitte
✔️Mal makes a request less informal (cannot be translated)
Schauen Sie mal! - Look!
✔️Bitte means “please”, it’s often used in the imperative because it’s considered rude to use imperative without using “please”
Kommen Sie bitte! - Please, come!
| Sein | Werden | Wissen | ||||
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Exceptions
✔️ Sein is different for 1st person plural (wir), 2nd person singular (du) and Sie (polite)
✔️ Werden (to become) and wissen (to know) only for 2nd person singular (du)
You know how to conjugate verbs at the present tense, right? Conjugate a verb in the 2nd person, plural “IHR” by adding -t to the stem, then drop “Ihr” and that’s it!
Esst diesen Kuchen! - Eat this cake!
C. Imperative - WIR Rules
It’s the same rule applied previously: change the order!
Gehen wir ins Kino! - Let’s go to cinema!
It’s often used with “Lassen” similar to the English “Let’s...”, this time the verb is pushed to the end
Lass uns ins Kino gehen! - Let’s go to cinema!
As in English: “du” (you) is dropped and also -st (its termination) is dropped
Nimm das Geld! - Take the money!
Sometimes you can add an -e but it’s optional:
Geh(e) nach Hause! - Go home!
If the table doesn't display right, please turn your phone horrizontaly
*If this table doesn't display right, please turn your phone horrizontaly !
Do you remember how to address a question? It’s the same for imperative: just change the order by putting the verb first and Sie next!
Geben Sie mir das Telefon! - Give me the phone!
What is a grammar mood? It’s a category of verbs: does the verb express a fact/action? it is indicative (present, past or future tense); or an order? then the verb is imperative! or a question? the verb is in the interrogative mood”
Mrs. Puddles gives a tip!
✔️ Practical examples. After you break-down the sentences and understand better how it works, test your knowledge and try to translate them.
✔️ The rules are simple: drop -st and du for the 2nd person
✔️ Sie and wir have the same rule: change the order by placing the verb first
✔️ For “ihr” just add -t to the stem (the same rule for present tense) and drop “ihr”
✔️ Don’t forget using “mal” and “bitte” at imperative, so you don’t seem impolite
II. Practical examples - Imperative case in German
You’re too bored of staying at home and you’d like to go for a walk in the nearby park, but you don’t want to be alone, so you call your friends: “Let’s go for a walk! I’m too bored. Get here in 30 minutes, I’m waiting for you!”
This is what we call “the imperative”, which:
✔️ Is a grammar mood of the verb
✔️ It expresses orders, commands or proposals (like the previous example)
✔️ Both languages, English and German, use the imperative a lot
We use the imperative for:
du: Nimm das Geld!
Take the money!
sie: Nehmen Sie das Geld!
Take the money!
wir: Nehmen wir das Geld!
Let’s take the money!
ihr: Nehmt das Geld!
Take the money!
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