Spanish Grammar
Pronunciation & Accents
Gender & Def./Indef. Articles Subject Pronouns
The Verb Ser
Plural Nouns & Adjectives
The Calendar
Cardinal & Ordinal Numbers
Telling Time
Hay
Verbs - The Present Tense
The Verb Ir
The Verb Tener
The Verb Estar
Ser vs. Estar
Possessive Adjectives
Possessive Pronouns
Stem-Changing Verbs
Object Pronouns
The Verb Gustar
The Weather
Reflexive Verbs
Por vs. Para
Demonstratives
The Verb Acabar de
The Verb Volver a
The Past Tense - Pretérito Prepositions
Informal Commands
The Past Tense - Imperfecto
Preterit vs. Imperfect
Past Participles
Present Perfect Tense
Past Perfect Tense
The Subjunctive
Formal Commands
The Future Tense
The Conditional Tense
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Formal Commands: Usted and Ustedes
Learn Spanish: Formal Commands in Spanish
This learn Spanish grammar lesson is on making formal commands in Spanish. You previously learned informal commands in Spanish. The formal commands are reserved for commands you make to someone or a group of people that you'd refer to using the Spanish subject pronouns usted or ustedes.
The command forms for Ud. and Uds. are formed by dropping the o from the first person singular verb in the present indicative and adding e or en, respectively, for ar verbs and a or an, respectively, for er and ir verbs.
| ar verbs |
e, en |
| er/ir verbs |
a, an |
Infinitive |
1st person singular -- Present indicative |
Ud. commands |
Uds. commands |
comprar |
compr-o |
compr-e |
compr-en |
querer |
quier-o |
quier- a |
quier- an |
escribir |
escrib-o |
escrib -a |
escrib-an |
tener* |
teng-o |
teng-a |
teng-an |
volver* |
vuelv-o |
vuelv-a |
vuel-an |
Note that any present tense form that has a change in the first person will keep this change for the affirmative or negative Ud. and Uds. formal commands:
| Por favor, tenga paciencia con su hijo. |
Please be patient with your son. |
| No vuelva tarde. |
Don't return late. |
Irregular Formal Command Forms
|
dar |
estar |
ser |
ir |
saber |
Ud . |
dé |
esté |
sea |
vaya |
sepa |
Uds |
den |
estén |
sean |
vayan |
sepan |
| Sea responsable y vaya a la clase todos los días! |
Be responsible and go to class every day . |
| Por favor, sepa que no tengo mucho tiempo. |
Please know that I don’t have much time |
Position of pronouns for Affirmative and Negative Formal Commands
When the command is affirmative -- direct, indirect or reflexive pronouns are attached to the end of the command form.
Notice that they have a written accent on the syllable of the command form that is stressed.
| Lléveme al aeropuerto, por favor. |
Take me to the airport, please. |
| Tráigales una ensalada a ellos, por favor / ***Tráigasela, por favor. |
Bring them a salad, please |
| Por favor, lávese las manos. |
Please wash your hands. |
When the command is negative -- the direct, indirect or reflexive pronoun is placed before the command and after the word "no."
| No le de las radiografías al paciente. / ***No se las de. |
Don’t give the x-rays to the patiente |
| No se levante tan temprano. |
Don’t get up so early. |
*** Note the order: IOP + DOP for affirmative or negative command.
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