Italian Gone Sexy (IGS)

Lezione 29-Imperative form (Go...!)

ECcoci qua :) (Here we are!)

Qua/qui=here

Oggi facciamo la forma imperativa o_O

************************************************************

How do I tell someone what to do in Italian? As in, go there, eat this, come here, drink that, disappear (:3)?

Firstly, it depends on whom you are referring to. This is due to the different levels of politeness in Italian, similar to its use in Japanese. It even changes based on the amount of people you are talking to!

If you know what I'm talking about, then skip pure (by all means)!

Otherwise, let me quickly explain this:

With friends, kids and people you know well or who are the same age as you when you are young-USE Informal imperative

With older people and people you don't know or who are higher in status than you (ex. teachers, police officers, etc.)-USE Formal imperative (the subjunctive form)

********************

Today I'll give you a lot of information on the informal way of telling people what to do, and some hints on how to refer to others in the formal manner.

INFORMAL:

1.

The easiest and most regular part is referring to two or more people, therefore using the second person plural. Simply take off the subject and put the required verbal form:

Mangiare-to eat. Voi mangiate-you (pl.) eat. Mangiate! Eat! (To more than one person-i.e plural)

I simply removed the subject and left the regular verbal form :)

Ex.: Venire-to come. Voi venite-you (pl.) come. Venite! Come! (pl.)

Andare-to go. Voi andate-You (pl.). Andate! Go!

Simply remove the subject in all verbs!

2.

Another really easy way of 'commanding' is the 'esortativo'-exhortative. This means 'let's do this', 'let's go...' etc. So in English you use 'let's'; in Italian, simply remove the 'noi' pronoun and place the conjugated verb, often adding an exclamation mark:

Noi andiamo-we go. Andiamo! Let's go!

Noi mangiamo-we eat. Mangiamo! Let's eat!

Noi dormiamo-we sleep. Dormiamo! Let's sleep!

Etc.

3.

Second person singular:

For most -ere and -ire verbs use the verbal form of the second person singular. Example: Venire-to come. Tu vieni-you come. Vieni! Come!

What did I do here? I simple omitted the subject: tu.

You basically never use it when telling others what to do, just like in English.

(EXCEPT when you want to say something like: Just drive! or Just eat! In that case it would become: Tu guida! or Tu mangia!)

Ex.: Andare. Tu vai. Vai! Go!

Bere-to drink (io bevo, tu bevi, lui beve, noi beviamo, voi bevete, loro BEvono). Tu bevi-you drink. Bevi! Drink!