Komm hierher!
English: Come here!
- Language
- German
- Level
- A2
- Unit
- Zeiten und Verbkonstruktionen
- Practice types
- 0
What this grammar point covers
The Imperativ is the command or instruction form in German. It is used to tell someone what to do, give orders, or make requests.
When to use it
Use the Imperativ in German to give direct commands, instructions, advice, or requests. It is common when talking to friends, family, or groups, and in formal situations with 'Sie'.
Key forms
- For 'du': Use the verb stem (no 'du'): Geh!
- For 'ihr': Use the verb stem + 't' (no 'ihr'): Geht!
- For 'Sie': Use 'Verb + Sie': Gehen Sie!
Examples
Macht die Hausaufgaben!
English: Do the homework!
Lesen Sie bitte den Text.
English: Please read the text.
Sei ruhig!
English: Be quiet!
Tips
- Don't use the pronoun (du, ihr) in Imperativ sentences.
- For 'du', sometimes the ending changes: 'Sei' (not 'Bist') for 'sein'.
- Be polite with 'bitte' if you want to sound friendly.
Exceptions and edge cases
- Some verbs are irregular in the Imperativ, like 'sein' (Sei!/Seid!/Seien Sie!) and 'haben' (Hab!/Habt!/Haben Sie!).
- For verbs ending in -eln or -ern, an extra -e is sometimes added: 'Handle vorsichtig!'