Choose the person before the ending
Picture three situations. You ask one friend to close a window, ask two friends to do it, or address an unfamiliar adult using Sie. The action stays the same, but the verb changes. Choose the form of address that already fits the relationship; an imperative does not give you permission to switch from Sie to du.
| Address | Present-tense reference | Request |
|---|---|---|
| du | Du machst das Fenster zu. | Mach das Fenster zu! |
| ihr | Ihr macht das Fenster zu. | Macht das Fenster zu! |
| Sie | Sie machen das Fenster zu. | Machen Sie das Fenster zu! |
| du / ihr / Sie | sein | Sei ruhig! / Seid ruhig! / Seien Sie ruhig! |
With du and ihr, the pronoun is normally absent. With the formal form, retain capitalized Sie after the verb. The word order is immediately useful: action first, then the information needed to carry it out. Bitte may also come before the verb.
Build the form and check the stem
For many regular verbs, the du form uses the stem: machen → Mach!. An ending -e is possible with many verbs, although short forms are common in everyday speech. Keep the extra vowel in careful standard forms such as Warte! and Arbeite!. For ihr, use its present-tense verb without the pronoun: Ihr wartet → Wartet!. For Sie, use Warten Sie!.
| Infinitive | One person: du | Several people: ihr |
|---|---|---|
| lesen | Lies den ersten Satz! | Lest den ersten Satz! |
| nehmen | Nimm eine Nummer! | Nehmt eine Nummer! |
| fahren | Fahr langsam! | Fahrt langsam! |
| warten | Warte hier! | Wartet hier! |
| aufmachen | Mach die Tür auf! | Macht die Tür auf! |
| sich setzen | Setz dich hierhin! | Setzt euch hierhin! |
The change e → i/ie appears in forms such as Gib! and Lies!. Do not add an ending to Lies!. The present-tense umlaut in du fährst does not appear in Fahr!. Notice the complete verb rather than deleting letters mechanically.
Keep the parts of a request together
A separable prefix belongs at the end: Ruf mich nach der Arbeit an!. When the action is reflexive, keep the pronoun and adapt it: Setz dich!, Setzt euch!, Setzen Sie sich!. These are construction examples, not a complete separable-verb or reflexive-verb course.
A negative instruction can use nicht: Öffne die Datei nicht!. Be specific about what should stop or change. Compare Lies nicht! with Lies den Namen nicht laut vor!. The second gives a usable restriction. For more sentence practice, use the German word-order speaking exercises.
Match the request to the relationship
Komm rein! can be a friendly invitation. Stopp! may be an urgent warning. A bare instruction to a colleague can sound abrupt when you have not explained the task. Bitte often helps, but tone, timing, the relationship and the size of the request still matter.
For a discretionary favour, a question can leave the other person more room: Können Sie mir kurz helfen?. For a clear agreed procedure, Unterschreiben Sie bitte hier. may fit. These are alternatives to choose between, not a rule that every question is polite and every imperative rude. Compare the modal-verb guide when permission or obligation is the real issue.
Eight requests to build
Say each answer before opening it. Check the addressee, verb form and any words that must stay together. Other wording may be possible; the solutions below show one response to the stated task.
- One friend: ausmachen / bitte / das Licht
Show answer and reason
Mach bitte das Licht aus! Use the du stem; aus belongs at the end.
- Two friends: nehmen / die kleinen Tassen
Show answer and reason
Nehmt die kleinen Tassen! The ihr form is nehmt, not the singular nimm.
- A visitor addressed as Sie: warten / einen Moment
Show answer and reason
Warten Sie einen Moment! The formal request keeps Sie after the verb.
- One friend: lesen / die Nachricht
Show answer and reason
Lies die Nachricht! Lesen changes e to ie in this imperative; there is no final -e.
- One friend: fahren / vorsichtig
Show answer and reason
Fahr vorsichtig! Use fahr without the present-tense umlaut in fährst.
- Several friends: sich setzen / auf die Bank
Show answer and reason
Setzt euch auf die Bank! The plural reflexive pronoun is euch.
- One friend: anrufen / mich / morgen
Show answer and reason
Ruf mich morgen an! The prefix an closes the request.
- A formal visitor: sein / bitte / pünktlich
Show answer and reason
Seien Sie bitte pünktlich! Sein has the formal form seien Sie.
Finish the exchange
A request needs a response. Practise Mach bitte die Tür zu! – Ja, mache ich. and Rufen Sie morgen an. – Um wie viel Uhr?. Then change just the addressee. If a form is difficult, repeat that exchange with a new action. The everyday scenario collection helps you choose a purpose for the sentence.
Questions about this topic
Do I always remove -st from the du form?
No. That shortcut fails for forms such as Lies! and can hide necessary stem changes. Learn the imperative alongside the infinitive and a short useful example.
Does bitte make every imperative polite?
No. Bitte is one part of a request. Context, tone, the relationship and whether the other person can reasonably agree also matter.
Can I use the same form for several people and formal Sie?
No. For several people you normally address as ihr, say Wartet! Formal address uses Warten Sie!, whether you are addressing one person or several.
Sources and further learning
- IDS grammis: Imperativ
- Lingolia: Imperativ – deutsche Aufforderung
- Goethe-Institut: Deutsch Online A1 grammar reference
Source links checked: .
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