habla/come/escribe
Affirmative Tú Commands
To tell a friend to do something, use the affirmative 'tú' command. For most verbs, this form is the same as the él/ella/usted form in the present tense (e.g., él habla -> ¡Habla!).
How It Works
When you want to give a command, an order, or advice to someone you address informally as 'tú' (like a friend, a family member of similar age, or a child), you use the affirmative tú command.
The Rule for Regular Verbs
For the vast majority of verbs, the rule is simple: use the same form as the él/ella/usted form in the present tense.
Here’s how it works for each verb ending:
- -AR verbs: Drop the -ar and add -a. (e.g., hablar → habla)
- -ER verbs: Drop the -er and add -e. (e.g., comer → come)
- -IR verbs: Drop the -ir and add -e. (e.g., escribir → escribe)
Notice this is the exact same conjugation as the third-person singular present tense.
Important Note on Irregular Verbs
Several of the most common verbs in Spanish have irregular command forms that do not follow this rule, such as tener (ten), hacer (haz), decir (di), and ir (ve). You will need to memorize these separately. It's worth noting that many of these verbs are also irregular in other ways, such as having a 'yo -go' form in the present tense.
Examples (6)
- ¡Habla más despacio, por favor!
Speak more slowly, please!
Word by Word: Speak more slowly, please!
- Come toda la verdura para crecer fuerte.
Eat all the vegetables to grow strong.
Word by Word: Eat all the vegetables to grow strong.
- Escribe tu nombre en la parte superior de la página.
Write your name at the top of the page.
Word by Word: Write your name on the part superior of the page.
- Abre la ventana, hace mucho calor aquí.
Open the window, it's very hot in here.
Word by Word: Open the window, it makes much heat here.
- Escucha esta canción, ¡es mi favorita!
Listen to this song, it's my favorite!
Word by Word: Listen this song, it is my favorite!
- Aprende las reglas antes de jugar.
Learn the rules before playing.
Word by Word: Learn the rules before of to play.
Common Mistakes
Using the regular 'tú' present tense form (ending in -s).
¡Corres más rápido!¡Corre más rápido!The affirmative tú command for regular verbs is the same as the él/ella form, not the tú form. You need to drop the final '-s'. 'Tú corres' means 'you run', but '¡Corre!' is the command 'Run!'.
Using the infinitive form of the verb.
¡Estudiar para el examen!¡Estudia para el examen!While using the infinitive for commands is common on public signs, it is incorrect when speaking directly to someone using 'tú'. You must conjugate the verb into the command form.
How It Connects
Related Patterns
- no hables/no comas/no escribasNegative Tú Commands
This pattern teaches you how to tell someone not to do something. The formation rule for negative commands is completely different from affirmative commands, so it's important to learn both.
Level 3 - hable/coma/escribaUsted Commands
If you need to give a command to someone you address formally ('usted'), you must use a different set of endings. This pattern covers the formal equivalent of tú commands.
Level 3 - -o/-as/-a/-amos/-áis/-anPresent Tense -AR Verbs
The regular affirmative tú command is identical to the third-person singular (él/ella/usted) form of the present tense. Mastering present tense conjugations makes forming these commands easy.
Level 1 - Pronouns with Commands
When using object pronouns (like 'me', 'te', 'lo', 'la') with an affirmative command, you must attach them directly to the end of the verb (e.g., 'dime', 'cómelo').
Level 3
Learn Next
Patterns that build on this one.
Words in This Pattern
Practice habla/come/escribe in Bubblegum
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