French Imperative Mood: How to Give Commands and Make Requests in French
What Is the French Imperative?
The French imperative (l'impératif) is the mood used to give commands, make requests, give instructions, or offer advice. Unlike other tenses, the imperative does not use a subject pronoun — you just use the verb form directly.
Mange tes légumes ! → Eat your vegetables! (not Tu mange tes légumes !)
The French imperative exists in only three forms: tu, nous, and vous. There is no je, il, or ils form.
Forming the Imperative: Regular Verbs
For most verbs, the imperative is simply the present tense form without the subject pronoun.
| Person | Parler (to speak) | Finir (to finish) | Prendre (to take) |
|---|---|---|---|
| tu | Parle ! | Finis ! | Prends ! |
| nous | Parlons ! | Finissons ! | Prenons ! |
| vous | Parlez ! | Finissez ! | Prenez ! |
Critical rule for -ER verbs: The tu form of -ER verbs drops the final -s in the imperative.
- Present: tu parles → Imperative: Parle ! (no -s)
- Present: tu manges → Imperative: Mange ! (no -s)
- Exception: -s returns before y and en: Manges-en ! → Eat some!
Irregular Imperative Forms
Four verbs have completely irregular imperative forms — memorize them:
| Verb | tu | nous | vous |
|---|---|---|---|
| Être (to be) | Sois | Soyons | Soyez |
| Avoir (to have) | Aie | Ayons | Ayez |
| Savoir (to know) | Sache | Sachons | Sachez |
| Vouloir (to want) | Veuille | Veuillons | Veuillez |
Note: Veuillez is extremely common in formal written French: Veuillez trouver ci-joint... → Please find attached...
Reflexive Verbs in the Imperative
For reflexive verbs, the reflexive pronoun comes after the verb and is connected with a hyphen. The pronoun te becomes toi after the verb.
- Lève-toi ! → Get up! (tu form — te → toi)
- Levons-nous ! → Let's get up!
- Levez-vous ! → Get up! (formal/plural)
- Asseyez-vous ! → Sit down! (from s'asseoir)
- Détends-toi ! → Relax!
Pronouns with the Imperative
In affirmative commands, object pronouns come after the verb, connected by a hyphen. Me and te become moi and toi.
- Donne-le-moi ! → Give it to me!
- Dis-moi la vérité. → Tell me the truth.
- Appelle-nous ! → Call us!
- Écoute-le. → Listen to him.
In negative commands, pronouns go back to their normal position before the verb:
- Ne me dis pas ça ! → Don't tell me that!
- Ne le fais pas. → Don't do it.
- Ne t'inquiète pas. → Don't worry.
The "Nous" Imperative = "Let's"
The nous imperative is the equivalent of "Let's..." in English. It is very natural in conversation:
- Allons-y ! → Let's go!
- Mangeons quelque chose. → Let's eat something.
- N'en parlons plus. → Let's not talk about it anymore.
- Soyons honnêtes. → Let's be honest.
Softening Commands: The Imperative in Polite Speech
A bare imperative can sound harsh. French speakers soften commands with:
- S'il vous plaît / S'il te plaît at the end: Fermez la porte, s'il vous plaît.
- Bien vouloir + infinitif: Veuillez bien vous asseoir. (very formal)
- Conditionnel instead of imperative: Pourriez-vous fermer la porte ? (even more polite)
Common Everyday Imperatives
- Attention ! → Watch out! / Be careful!
- Écoute ! / Écoutez ! → Listen!
- Regarde ! → Look!
- Attends ! → Wait!
- Dépêche-toi ! → Hurry up!
- N'oublie pas. → Don't forget.
- Arrête ! → Stop!
- Vas-y ! → Go ahead! / Go for it!
TCF Canada Tips
The imperative appears frequently in TCF Canada listening tasks (instructions, announcements, advice segments) and in writing tasks where you give recommendations. Knowing when to use vous vs tu imperative is also tested in comprehension — it signals the formality level of an interaction.
In your writing responses, using the nous imperative (Agissons maintenant, ne tardons plus) adds rhetorical power to persuasive essays — a B2 marker that examiners notice.
Want a structured path through grammar like this? Explore our French learning parcours for a complete course roadmap.