Four kinds of command, two sets of forms
Spanish commands change depending on two things: who you are talking to (tú, usted or ustedes) and whether the command is affirmative or negative. Only the affirmative tú command avoids the subjunctive; every other combination uses the present subjunctive.
| Command | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| tú, affirmative | él form of the present | habla, come, escribe |
| tú, negative | no + subjunctive | no hables, no comas, no escribas |
| usted, affirmative | subjunctive | hable, coma, escriba |
| usted, negative | no + subjunctive | no hable, no coma, no escriba |
| ustedes, both | subjunctive | hablen / no hablen |
The eight irregular tú commands
These are short, common and worth memorizing as a set: di (decir), haz (hacer), ve (ir), pon (poner), sal (salir), sé (ser), ten (tener), ven (venir). Many learners use the rhyme “Di, haz, ve, pon, sal, sé, ten, ven.” Sé takes an accent to tell it apart from the pronoun se.
The irregularity is only in the affirmative. In the negative they go back to the subjunctive like every other verb: no digas, no hagas, no vayas, no pongas, no salgas, no seas, no tengas, no vengas.
Building the subjunctive form
Take the yo form of the present, drop the -o, and add the “opposite” vowel: -ar verbs take e, -er and -ir verbs take a. Hablo → hable, hables. Como → coma, comas. Tengo → tenga, tengas. Hago → haga, hagas. Only a handful break this pattern: ir → vaya, ser → sea, haber → haya, estar → esté, saber → sepa, dar → dé.
Spelling adjusts to keep the sound: tocar → toque, llegar → llegue, empezar → empiece.
Where pronouns go
Attached to the end of an affirmative command, often with a written accent: dímelo, siéntese, cómelo. Before a negative command: no me lo digas, no se siente. This drill leaves pronouns out so you can focus on the forms first.
Regional note
In Argentina, Uruguay and much of Central America, vos has its own affirmative commands (hablá, comé, decí, vení). In Spain, vosotros uses hablad, comed. This drill practices the tú, usted and ustedes forms understood everywhere.
Quick answers
How do you form tú commands in Spanish?
For an affirmative tú command, use the él/ella form of the present: habla, come, escribe. For a negative tú command, use no plus the present subjunctive: no hables, no comas, no escribas.
What are the irregular tú commands?
Eight verbs: decir → di, hacer → haz, ir → ve, poner → pon, salir → sal, ser → sé, tener → ten, venir → ven. They are irregular only in the affirmative; the negative forms are simply the present subjunctive: no digas, no hagas, no vayas.
How do you form usted commands?
Use the usted form of the present subjunctive, for both affirmative and negative: hable, coma, escriba; no hable, no coma. Irregular verbs follow their subjunctive: vaya, tenga, venga, haga, diga, sea.
Why is it no hables and not no habla?
Negative commands always use the subjunctive in Spanish. No habla is a statement (he or she doesn't speak, or you, formal, don't speak); no hables is a command (don't speak).
Does ve mean “go” or “see”?
Both. Ve is the tú command of ir (ve a tu cuarto, go to your room) and also of ver (ve esta película, watch this film). Context decides. The negative forms differ: no vayas (ir) and no veas (ver).