At CEFR level A1, learners master the German imperative mood (Imperativ) — the verb form used to give commands, instructions, requests, or direct advice in three forms: du (informal singular), ihr (informal plural), and Sie (formal).

At CEFR level A1, learners master the German imperative mood (Imperativ) to give commands, instructions, requests, and advice — essential for everyday communication.

Was ist der Imperativ? – What Is the Imperative?

The imperative mood is used to give commands, make requests, offer invitations, or give instructions. It is one of the most practical and frequently used grammatical forms in German.

• Komm mit! Come along! (singular informal)
• Lernt fleißig! Study hard! (plural informal)
• Öffnen Sie die Tür! Open the door! (formal)

Formen des Imperativs – Imperative Forms

There are three main forms of the imperative in German, each used for a different audience:

1. Du-Form (Informal singular)

Used when speaking to one person you know well (friend, family member, child). Take the present tense du form and remove the -st ending. Do not include the pronoun "du".

2. Ihr-Form (Informal plural)

Used when speaking to several people you know well. Simply take the present tense ihr form and drop the pronoun "ihr".

3. Sie-Form (Formal)

Used for formal situations: with strangers, authorities, colleagues, or anyone you would address as "Sie". The verb stays in its infinitive-like form, and Sie comes directly after it.

Besondere Fälle – Special Cases

Verben auf -d, -t, -n, -m – Verbs ending in -d, -t, -n, -m

When a verb stem ends in -d, -t, -n, or -m, an extra -e is added to the du-imperative to make pronunciation easier:

Verben auf -ieren – Verbs ending in -ieren

Verbs ending in -ieren follow regular rules. The du-imperative drops the -en ending:

Verben mit Vokalwechsel – Verbs with Vowel Change

Some verbs have a stem vowel change in the second and third person singular (e → i/ie or a → ä). For the du-imperative, verbs with e → i/ie change keep the vowel change. Verbs with a → ä change do not keep the ä in the imperative:

Trennbare Verben – Separable Verbs

With separable verbs, the prefix moves to the end of the sentence in the imperative, just as it does in regular sentences:

Unregelmäßige Verben: sein und haben – Irregular Verbs: sein and haben

The verbs sein (to be) and haben (to have) have irregular imperative forms:

Satzstellung – Sentence Structure

In the imperative, the verb always comes first. This is different from regular statements where the subject comes first:

Negative Befehle – Negative Commands

To form a negative command, add nicht after the verb (or after the object if there is one):

Zusammenfassung – Summary

Häufig gestellte Fragen – FAQ

What is the German imperative and when do I use it?

The German Imperativ (imperative mood) is used to give commands, make requests, offer invitations, or give instructions. You use it in three forms: du (informal singular), ihr (informal plural), and Sie (formal). Examples: Komm! (Come! — to one friend), Kommt! (Come! — to a group of friends), Kommen Sie! (Come! — formal).

How do I form the du-imperative in German?

For most verbs, take the present tense du form and remove the -st ending: du machst → Mach!. For verbs with an e → i/ie vowel change, keep the change: du liest → Lies!, du isst → Iss!. For verbs with an a → ä change, use the base vowel (no umlaut): du fährst → Fahr!. Irregular exceptions: sein → Sei!, haben → Hab!.

How do separable verbs work in the imperative?

With separable verbs, the prefix moves to the end of the sentence, just as in normal sentences. For example: aufstehen → Steh auf! (Get up! — du), Steht auf! (ihr), Stehen Sie auf! (Sie). Another example: anrufen → Ruf mich an! (Call me! — du).

What are the imperative forms of 'sein' (to be) and 'haben' (to have)?

Both verbs are irregular in the imperative. For sein: Sei (du), Seid (ihr), Seien Sie (Sie formal). For haben: Hab (du), Habt (ihr), Haben Sie (Sie formal). Examples: Sei ruhig! (Be quiet! — singular), Seid nett! (Be nice! — plural), Haben Sie bitte Geduld! (Please be patient! — formal).

Häufig gestellte Fragen – FAQ

What is the imperative mood in German?

The imperative (Imperativ) is used to give commands, instructions, requests, or advice. German has three imperative forms: du (informal singular), ihr (informal plural), and Sie (formal). The verb always comes first in imperative sentences, making them distinct from regular declarative sentences where the verb is in second position.

How do you form the du-imperative in German?

Take the present tense du conjugation and remove the -st ending. For verbs ending in -d, -t, -n, -m or -ieren, add -e for easier pronunciation. For vowel-changing verbs (e→i, e→ie), keep the vowel change but don't add -e. Examples: du machst → Mach!, du arbeitest → Arbeite!, du isst → Iss!

What happens to separable verbs in the imperative?

With separable verbs, the prefix separates and moves to the end of the imperative sentence. Example: aufstehen → Steh auf! (du), Steht auf! (ihr), Stehen Sie auf! (formal). This follows the same pattern as in present tense declarative sentences.

How do sein and haben form the imperative?

Sein and haben have irregular imperative forms. Sein: Sei! (du), Seid! (ihr), Seien Sie! (formal). Haben: Hab! (du), Habt! (ihr), Haben Sie! (formal). These forms must be memorized as they don't follow regular conjugation patterns.

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