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| 17.2 Formation of the imperative |
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The rules for the formation of the imperative are quite simple. The imperative is identical with the normal present form. The only exception is the group of verbs ending in -er, here the -s in the second person singular is
omitted.
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Übersicht |
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Personal
pronoun |
-er |
-ir |
-re |
-oir |
| present |
imperative |
present |
imperative |
present |
imperative |
present |
imperative |
| acheter (to buy) |
finir (to finish) |
prendre (to take) |
recevoir (to receive) |
| |
je / j'
(I) |
achète
(buy) |
- |
finis
(finish) |
- |
prends
(take) |
- |
reçois
(receive) |
- |
| |
tu
(you) |
achètes
(buy) |
achète (Buy!) |
finis
(finish) |
finis
(Finish!) |
prends
(take) |
prends (Take!) |
reçois
(receive) |
reçois (Receive!) |
| |
il / elle (he/she) |
achète (buys) |
- |
finit
(finishes) |
- |
prend (takes) |
- |
reçoit (receives) |
- |
| |
nous
(we) |
achetons (buy) |
achetons (Let's buy) |
finissons (finish) |
finissons (Let's finish) |
prenons (take) |
prenons
(Let's take) |
recevons (receive) |
recevons
(Let's receive) |
| |
vous
(you) |
achetez (buy) |
achetez (buy) |
finissez (finish) |
finissez (Finish!) |
prenez (take) |
prenez (Take!) |
recevez (receive) |
recevez (Receive!) |
| |
ils / elles (they) |
achètent (buy) |
- |
finissent (finish) |
- |
prennent (take) |
- |
recoivent (receive) |
- |
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As always, there is no rule without exception. Already in the chapter conjugation in present tense we have seen that there are verbs ending in -ir that are conjugated as verbs -er. Here, it does also mean that these verbs also omit the final -s as verbs ending in -er.
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couvrir = to cover |
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Couvre! = Cover! |
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