Commands in the Classroom

Level 2

One command for the whole class.

How It Works

To one pupil	To a class	Meaning
sede	sedete	sit down
surge	surgite	stand up
audi	audite	listen
lege	legite	read
scribe	scribite	write
aperi	aperite	open
responde	respondete	answer
tace	tacete	be quiet

The vowel before -te shows the family: -ate in the first (cantate, orate), -ete in the second, and -ite in the third and fourth.

An object is in the accusative: in Aperite libros! the books are what you open.

To command one pupil by name, use the form for calling someone: Marce, sede! means Marcus, sit down! To say do not, use noli or nolite with an infinitive, which Level 3 teaches.

Examples (5)

Sedete, pueri!
Sit down, boys!
Sedete is the plural command, and pueri names the class.
Audite, discipuli!
Listen, pupils!
Audite is the plural of audi.
Aperite libros!
Open your books!
Libros is the accusative plural: the books are what you open.
Legite et scribite!
Read and write!
Two plural commands joined by et.
Orate et cantate, puellae!
Pray and sing, girls!
Orate and cantate are first conjugation commands, which end in -ate.

Common Mistakes

Giving a singular command to a class.
Sede, pueri!
Sedete, pueri!
Pueri is plural, so the command needs the plural ending -te.
Leaving the object in the nominative.
Aperite liber!
Aperite libros!
The books are the thing you open, so libros is accusative plural.

How It Connects

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

Commands in the ClassroomLevel 2

Learn This First

Classroom commands are imperatives.

Commands: ama!, amate!
Know the imperative, because classroom commands are orders like Sedete! and Audite!
Level 2

Words in This Pattern

sedeosurgoaudiolegoscriboaperiorespondeotaceo

Practice Commands in the Classroom in Bubblegum

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