Commands in Spanish

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The commands in Spanish (los mandatos en español) are used to give advice, direct orders or instructions. Los mandatos are given to the second person of tú (you) in the singular or plural form.
Also see:
Plural Commands with Vosotros
Plural Commands with Nosotros

• Actions in the imperative are in the present. Time is used in the commands to indicate the urgency of the message.
  
  Example:
  Cierra la puerta.
  Close the door.
  
  Apaga la luz ahora.
  Turn off the light now.

• When the speaker needs the action to be carried out later, she or he might indicate the time using adverbs/adverbial phrases.
  
  Example:
  Trae el auto mañana.
  Bring the car tomorrow.
  
  Paga el recibo del gas en dos días.
  Pay your gas bill in two days.

• When using affirmative or negative commands, the person is told what to do or not to do by the speaker.
  
  Example:
  Guarda tu teléfono ya.
  Put your phone away now.
  
  No abras la puerta.
  Do not open the door.

Formal Commands in Spanish

The formal commands in Spanish in the negative or affirmative forms use the pronoun Usted (singular formal) or Ustedes (plural formal).

Pronoun	Verb ending in -ar	Verb ending in -er	Verb ending in -ir
	Escuchar	Comer	Abrir
Usted	Escuche	Coma	Abra
Ustedes	Escuchen	Coman	Abran

Examples:
Lean ustedes las instrucciones en el formulario.
Read the instructions on the form.

Reciba usted el correo.
Receive the mail.

No canten en el auto.
Don’t sing in the car.

Irregular Forms of Commands Conjugation

Infinitive	Present Indicative	Formal Singular Usted	Formal Plural Ustedes
Dar (to give)	Yo doy	dé usted	den ustedes
Estar (to be)	Yo estoy	esté usted	estén ustedes
Ir (to go)	Yo voy	vaya usted	vayan ustedes
Saber (to know)	Yo sé	sepa usted	sepan ustedes

Examples:

Dé usted la propina.
You give the tip.

¡Sepa usted qué hacer!
You know what to do!

Formal Negative Commands in Spanish

Infinitive	Formal Usted	Formal Ustedes
Coser (to sew)	No cosa usted	No cosan ustedes
Pescar (to fish)	No pesque usted	No pesquen ustedes
Sufrir (to suffer)	No sufra usted	No sufran ustedes

Examples:

No pesque en este lago.
Do not fish in this lake.

¡No sufra más!
Don’t suffer anymore!

More Related Subjects:
Plural Command Forms in Spanish
Imperatives in Spanish
Negative Imperatives Exercise
Positive Imperatives Exercise