Command Form

Level 1

The Dutch imperative (command form) is used for orders, requests, and instructions. In modern Dutch, you almost always use the verb stem for both one person and a group.

How It Works

The imperative is used for orders, requests, and instructions. Follow these rules to become confident with its use:

1. The Basic Form (Stem)
Remove the -en from the infinitive and apply spelling rules:
• Long Vowels: Lopen → Loop! (Keep the vowel long).
• V/Z Change: Blijven → Blijf! and Reizen → Reis! (native Dutch words do not end in V or Z).

2. Irregular: Zijn
The verb zijn (to be) uses wees for both informal and formal address. The form weest u is considered archaic and is rarely used in modern Dutch.

3. The Infinitive Imperative
For general instructions, signs, or impersonal prohibitions, use the full infinitive:
• Niet roken (No smoking).
• Afstand houden (Keep distance).

4. Negation
To tell someone not to do something, use the stem followed by niet or geen:
• Wacht niet! (Don't wait!)

5. Separable Verbs
In a command, the prefix of a separable verb moves to the very end of the sentence.
• Opstaan → Sta nu op! (Stand up now!)

6. Politeness and Softening
• Formal: Use stem + t + u (e.g., Komt u binnen).
• Particles: Add maar, even, or eens to make commands sound like friendly requests.

Examples (6)

  1. Kom maar binnen, de deur is open.

    Just come in, the door is open.

    Word by Word: Come but inside, the door is open.

    Uses the stem 'kom' (from komen) and the particle 'maar' to sound welcoming rather than demanding.

  2. Wees voorzichtig!

    Be careful!

    Word by Word: Be careful!

    The irregular imperative form of 'zijn' (to be) is 'wees'. This form is used for both informal and formal address.

  3. Niet roken.

    No smoking.

    Word by Word: Not smoke.

    The infinitive imperative is used for general instructions or signs.

  4. Ren niet op de gang!

    Don't run in the hallway!

    Word by Word: Run not on the hallway!

    To negate a command, place niet after the verb stem.

  5. Gaat u zitten, de dokter komt zo.

    Please have a seat, the doctor is coming shortly.

    Word by Word: Go you sit, the doctor comes so.

    A formal command using the stem+t followed by 'u'.

  6. Reis met de trein.

    Travel by train.

    Word by Word: Travel with the train.

    The stem of 'reizen' changes the 'z' to 's' because Dutch words cannot end in 'z'.

Common Mistakes

  • Adding a -t for informal plural commands.

    Werkt harder, jongens!
    Werk harder, jongens!

    In modern Dutch, the plural imperative is the same as the singular (the bare stem). Adding a -t without 'u' sounds very archaic.

  • Forgetting spelling rules when creating the stem.

    Lop naar de winkel!
    Loop naar de winkel!

    You must follow spelling rules to keep the vowel long. 'Lopen' has a long 'o', so the stem must be 'loop'. Also, 'v' becomes 'f' and 'z' becomes 's' (e.g., 'blijven' becomes 'blijf').

  • Using the wrong form for 'to be'.

    Ben stil!
    Wees stil!

    The verb 'zijn' is irregular in the imperative. You must use 'wees' instead of the stem 'ben'.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Command FormLevel 1

Learn This First

To form the Dutch imperative, you need to understand how to derive the verb stem and apply basic conjugation endings for formal contexts. Knowledge of formal versus informal address is also required to choose the correct form.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.