18.2 GRAMÁTICA / GRAMMAR

HABLAMÉTODO. Level A2 (EN) in spanish UNIT 18 – PARTES DEL CUERPO – EN EL MÉDICO 18.2 GRAMÁTICA / GRAMMAR

EL IMPERATIVO DE “USTED”

The imperative is a verb form used to give orders, formulate requests, and grant or deny favors.

The imperative of “usted” is formed in the following way:

	HABLAR	COMER	VIVIR
USTED	hable	coma	viva
USTEDES	hablen	coman	vivan

As you can see, the difference between the imperative and the “normal” present indicative forms lies in the final vowel:

a → e e/i → a

Compare:

Juan habla (normal action in the indicative).
Hable, Juan (a request in the imperative).

Irregular verbs in the present maintain the irregularities of the first person singular.


	VOLVER	ENCENDER	PEDIR	PONER	CONOCER
1ª Sing. indicativo	vuelvo	enciendo	pido	pongo	conozco
imperativo USTED	vuelva	encienda	pida	ponga	conozca
imperativo USTEDES	vuelvan	enciendan	pidan	pongan	conozcan

The imperative for usted of the verb ir is vaya, vayan.

In the affirmative imperative of reflexive verbs, the pronoun goes at the end, and added to the verb.

	LEVANTARSE	BEBERSE	SUBIRSE
USTED	levántese	bébase	súbase
USTEDES	levántense	bébanse	súbanse

In these forms, the accent is always present.

In the negative form, the pronoun comes before and separate from the verb.


	NO LEVANTARSE	NO BEBERSE	NO SUBIRSE
USTED	no se levante	no se beba	no se suba
USTEDES	no se levanten	no se beban	no se suban

Other personal pronouns work in the same way.

Escríbale – No le escriba

The imperative of usted is seldom employed in Spanish. It’s used when the person we’re addressing is not on close terms with us, or for older people. Doctors always use it when telling patients what they have to do or what medications to take.
Other people in positions of authority, such as the police, also use it.

It’s frequently used to give permission.

–¿Puedo sentarme?
–Claro, siéntese, por favor.

It’s also employed when denying permission.

–¿Puedo levantarme?
–No, lo siento, no se levante, por favor.