hable/coma/escriba

Usted Commands

Level 3

Use usted commands to formally tell one person what to do or not to do.

How It Works

Use these forms when addressing one person as usted. Usted often marks social distance or respect, but usage varies by region and relationship; it does not automatically make an order polite.

Formation of Regular Commands:
The rule is simple and follows the pattern of the present subjunctive:
1. Start with the yo form of the present indicative tense.
2. Drop the final -o.
3. Add the 'opposite' vowel ending: -e for -ar verbs and -a for -er/-ir verbs.

  • -AR Verbs: hablar (to speak) → hablo → habl- → hable
  • -ER Verbs: comer (to eat) → como → com- → coma
  • -IR Verbs: escribir (to write) → escribo → escrib- → escriba

Stem-Changing Verbs:
Verbs with stem changes in the present tense (like e→ie or o→ue) keep that change in their usted command form.

  • pensar (e→ie): pienso → piense (Think)
  • volver (o→ue): vuelvo → vuelva (Return)
  • pedir (e→i): pido → pida (Ask for)

Irregular Verbs:
Some common verbs have irregular command forms that you must memorize. These are also their present subjunctive forms.

  • Ser: sea (Be)
  • Ir: vaya (Go)
  • Dar: dé (Give) (The accent distinguishes it from the preposition 'de'.)
  • Estar: esté (Be)
  • Saber: sepa (Know)

Negative Commands:
The negative command uses the same subjunctive verb form with no before it. Any attached object pronouns move before the verb: dígame → no me diga.

  • Hable usted. → No hable usted.
  • Vaya al banco. → No vaya al banco.

Object Pronouns with Commands:
When using object pronouns (like me, lo, la, le), attach them directly to the end of affirmative commands. The combined word follows ordinary accent rules. Cómprelo and dígame take an accent; deme and dele do not.

  • Compre el libro. → Cómprelo. (Buy it.)
  • Diga la verdad. → Dígame la verdad. (Tell me the truth.)

Statement And Command
Usted come la fruta is an indicative statement in its ordinary use. Coma la fruta is the command form. An indicative statement may convey an order in context, so the statement is not inherently ungrammatical. Habla con el gerente is a valid tú command; choose hable when addressing the person as usted.

Examples (6)

  1. Hable más despacio, por favor.

    Speak more slowly, please.

    Word by Word: Speak more slowly, please.

  2. Coma la sopa antes de que se enfríe.

    Eat the soup before it gets cold.

    Word by Word: Eat the soup before that it gets-cold.

  3. Escriba su dirección en esta línea.

    Write your address on this line.

    Word by Word: Write your address on this line.

  4. No abra la ventana, hace frío.

    Don't open the window, it's cold.

    Word by Word: Not open the window, it-makes cold.

  5. Vuelva mañana para recoger los resultados.

    Come back tomorrow to pick up the results.

    Word by Word: Return tomorrow to pick-up the results.

    The verb 'volver' is an o→ue stem-changing verb. The command form 'vuelva' keeps this stem change.

  6. Dígame la verdad.

    Tell me the truth.

    Word by Word: Tell-me the truth.

    This shows an irregular command ('diga' from 'decir') with a pronoun attached. When pronouns are attached to an affirmative command, an accent mark is often added to the verb to maintain the original stress.

Common Mistakes

  • Forgetting stem changes in the command form.

    Cerre la puerta, por favor.
    Cierre la puerta, por favor.

    The verb 'cerrar' is an e→ie stem-changing verb. This change from the 'yo' form ('cierro') must be reflected in the command form: 'cierre'.

How It Connects

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

hable/coma/escribaLevel 3Usted Commands

Learn This First

To form 'usted' commands, you need to understand the formal 'you' (usted) and how to conjugate verbs in the present subjunctive, as the command forms are identical to the third-person singular subjunctive forms.

Words in This Pattern

-e-a