WORD CLASS: VERBS, THE IMPERATIVE

1. The simplest way to express commands or orders in English is by means of the imperative mood.

2. The imperative mood possesses two forms, both related to the second person, singular and plural. However, by means of the present subjunctive, which lends its forms to the imperative, the first person singular is also reached, as well as the courtesy persons (see personal pronouns).

Parla-hi (amb ella)	talk to her
Parleu-hi (amb ella)	talk (pl.) to her
Parlem-hi (amb ella)	let’s talk to her
Parli-hi (amb ella)	talk (court. sg.) to her
Parleu-hi (amb ella)	talk (court. pl.) to her

3. It is even possible to express a kind of imperative of the third persons by means of subjunctive constructions headed by que:

que vinguin ells	let them come
que es compri un cotxe	let him buy a car

4. Negative imperative is just expressed by means of the present subjunctive forms preceded by the negator no.

no hi parlis (amb ella)	talk to her
no hi parleu (amb ella)	talk (pl.) to her
no hi parlem (amb ella)	let’s talk to her
no hi parli (amb ella)	talk (court. sg.) to her
no hi parleu (amb ella)	talk (court. pl.) to her

5. All in all, the whole picture about the imperative conjugation is as follows, including both affirmative and negative tables:

PERSON	AFFIRMATIVE	NEGATIVE
1PS
2PS	canta	no cantis
2PS (court.)	canti / canteu	no canti / no canteu
3PS	que canti	que no canti
1PP	cantem	no cantem
2PP	canteu	no canteu
2PP (court.)	cantin / canteu	no cantin / no canteu
3PP	que cantin	que no cantin