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¡Hola! Ready to learn how to give friendly directions in Spanish? Let's explore how we tell a friend what to do using 'tú' commands!
In Spanish, we use commands to give instructions, advice, or directions. When talking to a friend, classmate, or family member, we use informal 'tú' commands, also called 'los mandatos' (the commands). For regular verbs, making a friendly command is super easy because you just use the same form as 'he' or 'she' in the present tense.
To tell a friend to do something with an -AR verb like 'hablar' (to speak), change the ending to -a. For example, '¡Habla!' (Speak!) — pronounced 'AH-blah'. It looks exactly like the 'él/ella' (he/she) form of the verb!
For -ER and -IR verbs like 'comer' (to eat) or 'escribir' (to write), the command ending changes to -e. '¡Come!' (Eat!) — pronounced 'KOH-meh' — and '¡Escribe!' (Write!) — pronounced 'ehs-KREE-beh' — help you tell your friends what to do quickly and clearly.
Let's analyze a real-life case. If you want your friend to study for a test, you use 'estudiar' (to study). You drop the -ar and add -a to get '¡Estudia!' (Study!). This command is correct because it matches the informal 'tú' rules, helping you support your friend's study habits.
Your friend is about to drink some delicious hot chocolate. You want to tell them in Spanish: "Drink the chocolate!" Using the verb 'beber' (to drink), how do you form this command step-by-step?
- Identify the verb you need to use: 'beber' (to drink). This is an -ER verb.
- Determine who you are talking to. Since you are speaking to a friend, you need the informal 'tú' command.
- Recall the rule for -ER verbs: to make a 'tú' command, drop the -er ending and replace it with -e.
- Take the stem 'beb-' and add the ending '-e' to create 'bebe'.
- Put it together with the rest of the sentence: '¡Bebe el chocolate!' (Drink the chocolate!) — pronounced 'BEH-beh el cho-co-LAH-teh'.
