Imperative mood

The imperative (Latin imperare, command ') is a mode of the verb. It is used primarily for prompts and instructions or advice, and invitations.

Imperative in German

In German, the imperative one of three modes ( the other two are the indicative and the subjunctive ). It is typical for the real imperative that it is used without a personal pronoun. A distinction between imperative forms without personal pronouns (go to the example!, Or goes! ) And spare forms with personal pronouns, which are used instead of non-existing imperative forms ( we go! Go ).

Forms of the imperative

In German, there are only two forms of the imperative. It can be a geduzte person (2nd person singular: look! ) Or more persons geduzte (2nd person plural: look! ) Depend. Only the second person is imperative forms have developed, since you generally only people who you talk directly, may ask for something.

For the polite form with you there is no real imperative form; which can be explained that the address with you is younger than the formation of the imperative forms thereby. One manages here with a spare Shape: look!

For the obsolete honorific with your other hand, there are real imperative forms, as this is the same shape as the second person plural (two or more persons geduzte be addressed: " Tell me, how are you ?"). In languages ​​where the second person plural is still used as a courtesy title, it is accordingly; For example, in French: regardez what looks! or you look! can mean.

The usual form of address no longer with him and her (singular ) so have no real imperative forms, one must also make do with a substitute form: " Will He / She a bottle of wine? Then He 'll / you! "Substitute forms for the imperative is formed with the subjunctive I instead of the indicative. The forms we go! and go! come from the subjunctive I, here only differs not from the indicative.

In the first person plural, in which the speaker to the addressee of the request may involve, to use in German also a substitute form: we look! In the French language there is a real imperative, regardons in the example.

Formation of the imperative

In the singular of the imperative is formed in the German, by using the verb form of the second person singular, but in addition to the personal pronoun and the suffix- st omits: Off you go will therefore go, you throw out will take from you work will! work! . An exception to this rule is "know" the word. The imperative singular word here is not " Weis ", but "Know ". The second exception is the imperative of "to be", the "Be! " Is. In strong verbs with an umlaut on the 2nd and 3rd person singular of the vowel change is not necessary in the imperative: From you sleep is sleep! and made ​​you run will run!. The ending- e in the imperative singular is in current usage usually optional: do it! and do! or sleep and sleep are in Germany as equivalent parallel forms, in Austria the Endungs ​​-e in High German is unusual and out of date. In weak verbs whose stem ends in- t or-d, the form with -e is considered to be stylistically better ( warte! and talk! Instead of waiting! , And red ). With verbs like expect or breathe, where from the root word representing a e (see rake ( rule ), breath) is the imperative form with the ending -e, so expect! , The only possible variant. In verbs in - eln and taxes must also be attached to an e - root word without the ending- st: wander; ! with verbs in - eln may also account for the e in the word tribe: collect! or collect! Strong verbs with vowel change in the imperative can not get a -e as an ending, it just means: take, give, eat! .

In the plural, it leaves out the formation of the imperative of the 2nd person plural only the personal pronoun, the extension remains. From her look is looks! .

Usually refers to the replacement forms that are in the polite form with you need as an imperative, although it is not dealing here with true imperative form.

Further spare shapes of the imperative

• The pure infinitive: Add instructions, such as cooking recipes that address the user personally, the work instructions are often only in the infinitive instead of the outdated you take ... is specified, for example: cleaning, washing and preparing vegetables ... Also on prohibition signs is the infinitive distributed, for example: Do not smoke! or not lean out! . In colloquial usage, the infinitive as a substitute for the imperative in real prompts ( do not ask, nor long blocks) is common, for example: watching, Herschauen, non- lazy, think before you expect! !.
• The past participle can in principle always hergenommen with separable verbs without an object as a substitute for the imperative, but what - with the exception of Attention! - To avoid because of the implied authoritarian- military undertone is ( in the military itself but only Stillgestanden ).
• Impersonal passive constructions ( is possible with verbs of all kinds ): Now is asleep!
• Gerundive ( is possible with verbs of all kinds, especially in bureaucratic language): The instructions of the operating personnel and the police and emergency services are to be obeyed.
• When you like to ask polite circumlocutions used in the subjunctive II, for example: Will you please close the window? Do please take to the window!

Related modes are the jussive ( command to the third person ) and the Adhortativ or Kohortativ ( invitation to the first person). These exist in the Germans as an independent verb form and must be expressed by paraphrasing.

Imperative in English

In English, the imperative corresponds to the infinitive of the verb. This grammatical imperative is in the 2nd person (singular and plural are indistinguishable ). The personal pronoun you ( you ) is omitted usually, but can be used to emphasize the command particularly.

He is denied by the negated auxiliary verb do ( do ): "Do not touch me"

In the negation can also be inserted you to express special emphasis ( " You do not touch these! "). In everyday language, you can also do stand by, but not necessarily presses an emphasis of: " Do not you touch these! "

In order to express special emphasis, the auxiliary do can also be used in affirmative imperative: "Do be quiet! "

In the first and third person of the imperative is let with the verb ( be ) circumscribed:

• Let us (Let's ) have a drink! (use the imperative in the first person plural of )
• Let him / her / them be happy! ( expresses the imperative in the 3rd person; constructions with june ( may ) be used also)