Purpose
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to form basic affirmative commands for “tu” (informal) and “Lei” (formal).
Lesson Explanation
Italian commands (imperativo) genuinely differ by formality, rooted in the tu/Lei split from Part 1, Lesson 3 and revisited fully in Part 6, Lesson 5.
Affirmative tu commands for -are verbs use a genuinely distinctive ending different from the normal present tense — -a instead of -i:
Parla!(parlare) — Speak! (tu) — NOT "parli," even though that IS the normal "tu" present form Prendi!(prendere) — Take! (tu) — matches the present tense here Dormi!(dormire) — Sleep! (tu) — matches the present tense here
Affirmative Lei commands borrow from the present subjunctive (previewed here, covered fully next lesson) — endings flip, with -are verbs taking -i and -ere/-ire verbs taking -a:
Parli!(parlare) — Speak! (Lei) Prenda!(prendere) — Take! (Lei) Dorma!(dormire) — Sleep! (Lei)
A genuinely important set of irregular affirmative tu commands must be memorized: va’ (go, from andare), da’ (give, from dare), fa’ (do, from fare), sta’ (stay, from stare), di’ (say, from dire) — note the apostrophe marking a shortened form.
Object and reflexive pronouns attach directly to the end of affirmative tu/noi/voi commands: Fallo!(fare + lo) — Do it! Alzati!(alzarsi) — Get up! But with Lei commands, pronouns go BEFORE the verb instead: Lo faccia. (Do it — formal.)
Practice Questions
1. Do Italian commands differ based on formality (tu vs. Lei)?
View Answer
Yes.
2. Write the affirmative “tu” command for “parlare” (to speak).
View Answer
Parla!
3. Is “Parla!” the same as the normal “tu” present-tense form (“parli”)?
View Answer
No, it is genuinely different.
4. Write the affirmative “Lei” command for “parlare.”
View Answer
Parli!
5. What ending do -are verbs take in the affirmative “Lei” command?
View Answer
-i.
6. Write the irregular affirmative “tu” command form of “andare” (to go).
View Answer
Va’.
7. Write the irregular affirmative “tu” command form of “fare” (to do).
View Answer
Fa’.
8. Where do object/reflexive pronouns attach in an affirmative “tu” command?
View Answer
To the end of the command.
9. Write “Do it!” using “fare” plus the direct object pronoun “lo,” in the “tu” form.
View Answer
Fallo!
10. Write “Get up!” using the reflexive verb “alzarsi” in the “tu” form.
View Answer
Alzati!
11. Where do pronouns go relative to a “Lei” command, unlike a “tu” command?
View Answer
Before the verb.
12. Write “Do it” (formal), placing the pronoun correctly.
View Answer
Lo faccia.