German Imperative – Complete Guide to Command Forms with Rules and Examples

Key takeaways

• German has four imperative forms: du (informal singular), ihr (informal plural), Sie (formal singular and plural), and wir (first-person plural — "let's").
• The du imperative is formed by taking the verb stem and usually dropping the pronoun — it is the most irregular of the four.
• Strong verbs with stem vowel changes e → i/ie carry those changes into the du imperative; verbs with a → ä changes do not.
• Separable verbs split in all imperative forms — the prefix moves to the end of the clause.
• Bitte softens any command; reflexive and modal constructions follow predictable patterns.

The German imperative is one of the most practical grammar topics to master early. You encounter it on signs, in recipes, in language textbooks, and in every conversation where someone gives instructions. Understanding all four command forms — du, ihr, Sie, and wir — lets you both produce natural German commands and recognize them instantly when you read or listen.

This guide covers all four forms with complete formation rules, stem-vowel change verbs, separable verbs, irregular forms, and real examples from everyday contexts. If you want to practice interactively, explore German on Promova and build fluency step by step.

What is the German imperative?

The imperative (Imperativ) is the verb mood used to issue commands, make requests, give instructions, or offer suggestions. Unlike indicative statements (what is) or questions (what is?), imperatives tell someone what to do. German marks imperative differently across four address forms, because the "you" being addressed can be informal singular, informal plural, formal, or first-person plural.

The imperative appears in:

• Direct commands: Komm sofort! — Come immediately!
• Friendly requests: Hilf mir bitte! — Please help me!
• Instructions and guides: Schneide das Gemüse in Würfel. — Cut the vegetables into cubes.
• Signs and notices: Nicht betreten! — Do not enter!
• Suggestions: Lass uns gehen! — Let's go!

The four imperative address forms at a glance

• du — one person you know well (friend, family member, child)
• ihr — a group of people you know well
• Sie — one or more people you address formally (strangers, professionals)
• wir — yourself included in the action ("let's...")

How to form the German imperative — all four forms

du imperative — informal singular

The du imperative is formed from the verb stem (the infinitive minus -en). The pronoun du is omitted in most cases:

Formula: verb stem (+ optional -e)

• lernen → lern → Lern! — Learn!
• kommen → komm → Komm! — Come!
• machen → mach → Mach! — Do it! / Make!
• trinken → trink → Trink! — Drink!
• schreiben → schreib → Schreib! — Write!

The optional -e ending is required after stems ending in -d, -t, -ig, -gn, -fn, -tm, -chn to make pronunciation easier:

• warten → warte → Warte! — Wait!
• atmen → atme → Atme! — Breathe!
• arbeiten → arbeite → Arbeite! — Work!
• öffnen → öffne → Öffne! — Open!

The -e is optional (but common) after most other stems: Komm! or Komme! are both acceptable, but Komm! is more natural in speech.

du imperative with stem vowel changes

This is the most important exception to learn. Verbs with e → i or e → ie stem vowel changes in the present tense carry those changes into the du imperative — and drop the -e ending entirely:

• sprechen (sprichst) → Sprich! — Speak! (not Sprech!)
• geben (gibst) → Gib! — Give!
• lesen (liest) → Lies! — Read!
• sehen (siehst) → Sieh! — Look! / See!
• nehmen (nimmst) → Nimm! — Take!
• treffen (triffst) → Triff! — Meet!

However, verbs with a → ä changes do NOT carry the umlaut into the imperative:

• fahren (fährst) → Fahr! — Drive! (not Fähr!)
• laufen (läufst) → Lauf! — Run! (not Läuf!)
• schlafen (schläfst) → Schlaf! — Sleep! (not Schläf!)

ihr imperative — informal plural

The ihr imperative is identical to the present tense ihr form. Drop the pronoun ihr:

Formula: present tense ihr form, no pronoun

• ihr lernt → Lernt! — Learn!
• ihr kommt → Kommt! — Come!
• ihr macht → Macht! — Do it!
• ihr lest → Lest! — Read!
• ihr sprecht → Sprecht! — Speak!
• ihr wartet → Wartet! — Wait!

The ihr imperative never has exceptions for stem vowel changes — it always follows the regular ihr present tense form.

Sie imperative — formal (singular and plural)

The formal imperative is formed from the infinitive with Sie following immediately after the verb. The pronoun Sie is always included and always capitalized:

Formula: infinitive + Sie

• Kommen Sie! — Come! (formal)
• Warten Sie! — Wait!
• Sprechen Sie bitte langsamer! — Please speak more slowly!
• Lesen Sie den Text! — Read the text!
• Nehmen Sie Platz! — Please have a seat!
• Entschuldigen Sie! — Excuse me!

The Sie form is used in all formal contexts — with strangers, customers, colleagues you don't know well, authority figures, and in professional settings.

wir imperative — first-person plural ("let's")

The wir imperative expresses "let's" — an invitation to a shared action that includes the speaker. It uses the infinitive with wir following the verb:

Formula: infinitive + wir

• Gehen wir! — Let's go!
• Machen wir eine Pause! — Let's take a break!
• Fangen wir an! — Let's begin!
• Sprechen wir darüber! — Let's talk about it!

Irregular imperative forms

Several high-frequency verbs have irregular imperative forms that must be memorized:

• sein (to be): Sei! / Seid! / Seien Sie! / Seien wir!
• haben (to have): Hab! / Habt! / Haben Sie!
• werden (to become): Werde! / Werdet! / Werden Sie!

Examples:

• Sei ehrlich! — Be honest! (du)
• Seid ruhig! — Be quiet! (ihr)
• Seien Sie bitte geduldig! — Please be patient! (Sie)
• Hab keine Angst! — Don't be afraid! (du)

Separable verbs in the imperative

Separable verbs split in all imperative forms — the prefix moves to the end of the clause, just as in regular present tense sentences:

• aufmachen (to open): Mach die Tür auf! — Open the door! (du)
• anrufen (to call): Ruf mich an! — Call me! (du)
• aufräumen (to tidy up): Räumt euer Zimmer auf! — Tidy up your room! (ihr)
• anfangen (to begin): Fangen Sie an! — Begin! (Sie)
• mitkommen (to come along): Komm mit! — Come along! (du)

Making imperatives polite — bitte and softening

Bitte (please) can appear at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of an imperative and always softens the tone:

• Bitte komm! — Please come!
• Komm bitte! — Come, please!
• Sprechen Sie bitte langsamer! — Please speak more slowly!
• Warte bitte kurz! — Just wait a moment, please!

Other softening strategies:

• Using doch for gentle insistence: Komm doch! — Oh, come on! / Just come!
• Using mal for a casual, informal tone: Ruf mal an! — Give me a call sometime.
• Combining both: Komm doch mal vorbei! — Why don't you come over sometime!

Imperatives in real German contexts

Signs and public notices

• Nicht rauchen! — No smoking!
• Bitte einsteigen! — Please board!
• Tür schließen! — Close the door!
• Vorsicht! — Caution!
• Bitte nicht stören! — Please do not disturb!

Recipes and step-by-step instructions

• Schneide das Gemüse in kleine Stücke. — Cut the vegetables into small pieces.
• Erhitze das Öl in einer Pfanne. — Heat the oil in a pan.
• Füge Salz und Pfeffer hinzu. — Add salt and pepper.
• Rühre gut um! — Stir well!
• Lass es fünf Minuten köcheln. — Let it simmer for five minutes.

Everyday conversations

• Pass auf! — Watch out! / Be careful! (du)
• Hör mir zu! — Listen to me! (du)
• Sag mir die Wahrheit! — Tell me the truth! (du)
• Gebt mir fünf Minuten! — Give me five minutes! (ihr)
• Nehmen Sie bitte Platz! — Please take a seat! (Sie)

Reflexive verbs in the imperative

Reflexive verbs keep their reflexive pronoun in the imperative. The pronoun follows immediately after the verb:

• sich setzen: Setz dich! — Sit down! (du) / Setzt euch! — Sit down! (ihr) / Setzen Sie sich! — Please sit down! (Sie)
• sich beeilen: Beeil dich! — Hurry up! (du) / Beeilen Sie sich! — Please hurry! (Sie)
• sich beruhigen: Beruhig dich! — Calm down! (du)
• sich konzentrieren: Konzentriert euch! — Concentrate! (ihr)

Tips for mastering the German imperative

• Learn all four forms together. Always practice Lern! / Lernt! / Lernen Sie! / Lernen wir! as a set. This builds complete command competence and prevents gaps where you know one form but not the others.
• Prioritize the e → i/ie stem-vowel changes for du. These verbs — sprechen, geben, lesen, sehen, nehmen — are extremely common and their imperative forms look nothing like the infinitive. Drill them until Sprich! and Nimm! feel natural.
• Remember the a → ä rule does NOT apply. Fahren → Fahr! not Fähr! This exception catches many learners — memorize it early.
• Practice with separable verbs explicitly. The prefix split is automatic in regular sentences but learners often forget it in imperatives. Use sentences like Ruf mich an! and Mach die Tür auf! until the split is instinctive.
• Collect real imperatives from signs, recipes, and media. German is full of imperatives in public spaces and instructional content. Reading a recipe, following a tutorial, or walking through a train station gives you dozens of real examples to analyze and absorb.

Learn the German imperative with support on Promova

Promova offers structured lessons that guide you through all four German imperative forms — with rules, irregular exceptions, and real conversation practice. Interactive exercises give immediate feedback on du/ihr/Sie distinctions, and speaking practice helps you produce commands naturally and recognize them instantly in listening contexts.

Final thoughts on the German imperative

The German imperative is compact but surprisingly nuanced. Four address forms, stem-vowel changes only for e → i/ie, separable prefixes moving to the end, reflexive pronouns following the verb, and a handful of irregular forms — these are all the rules you need. Once the patterns are internalized, you can give instructions, follow recipes, read signs, and understand commands in any register of German — formal, casual, or in between.