A Command to Several People

Level 2

Learn pairs such as idħol/idħlu, oħroġ/oħorġu and pparkja/pparkjaw.

How It Works

A positive plural imperative instructs several people. It lacks the imperfect subject prefix: toħorġu means “you all go out,” while oħorġu gives the command “go out!” The plural form addresses male, female or mixed groups.

Many commands end in -u, but their stems can change. Compare idħol / idħlu and oħroġ / oħorġu. These pairs require vowel adjustments. The borrowed verb's citation forms pparkja / pparkjaw illustrate a different ending pattern.

Learn paired command forms rather than applying one universal suffix. For a negative group instruction, use the second-person plural imperfect negative construction. For example, positive araw, “look!”, contrasts with prohibitive tarawx, “don't look!”

Examples (3)

  1. Idħlu mill-bieb ta' wara.

    Enter through the back door, all of you.

    Idħlu is paired with singular idħol.

  2. Oħorġu mill-klassi.

    Go out of the classroom, all of you.

    The plural stem differs from singular oħroġ.

  3. Araw dawn il-kotba.

    Look at these books, all of you.

    Araw is paired with singular ara.

How It Connects

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

A Command to Several PeopleLevel 2

Learn This First

Extend positive commands to several addressees by learning complete singular–plural pairs. Stem changes and the pparkjaw comparison show why plural command formation needs lexical forms rather than one universal added ending.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.