Spanish Imperative Exercises

How to use these exercises

This page gives you a short rules summary followed by six sets of exercises, from easy to harder. Try each set before you check the answer key at the end. Cover the answers, write your responses on paper or say them aloud, then compare.

If you want to practise commands combined with object pronouns (dímelo, no lo hagas), move on to our companion page on Spanish commands with pronouns.

Quick rules summary

The imperative (el imperativo) is the form you use to give orders, instructions, advice or invitations.

Eight irregular tú commands (affirmative only)

The negative tú commands for these verbs are regular subjunctive forms: no digas, no hagas, no vayas, no pongas, no salgas, no seas, no tengas, no vengas.

Stem changes and spelling changes

• Stem-changing verbs keep their stem change in the tú, usted and ustedes commands: cerrar gives cierra, cierre, cierren.
• Verbs ending in -car, -gar and -zar change spelling before the subjunctive endings: buscar gives busque, pagar gives pague, empezar gives empiece (see our empezar conjugation guide).
• For nosotros, “let’s go” is vamos (not vayamos) in the affirmative.

Set 1: Regular tú commands (affirmative)

Write the tú command.

1. (hablar) ___ más despacio, por favor.
2. (comer) ___ la verdura.
3. (escribir) ___ un correo a tu profesor.
4. (abrir) ___ la ventana.
5. (esperar) ___ aquí un momento.

Set 2: Irregular tú commands

Write the tú command.

1. (decir) ___ la verdad.
2. (hacer) ___ la tarea ahora.
3. (ir) ___ a casa.
4. (poner) ___ la mesa. (See the verb in our poner present tense guide.)
5. (salir) ___ de aquí.
6. (ser) ___ amable con ellos.
7. (tener) ___ cuidado.
8. (venir) ___ conmigo.

Set 3: Negative tú commands

Change each affirmative command to negative.

1. Habla con él. → No ___ con él.
2. Come eso. → No ___ eso.
3. Haz ruido. → No ___ ruido.
4. Ve ahora. → No ___ ahora.
5. Sé impaciente. → No ___ impaciente.
6. Ten miedo. → No ___ miedo.
7. Pon la radio. → No ___ la radio.
8. Empieza sin mí. → No ___ sin mí.

Set 4: Usted and ustedes commands

Write the formal command.

1. (tomar, usted) ___ asiento, por favor.
2. (abrir, ustedes) ___ los libros en la página diez.
3. (decir, usted) ___ su nombre.
4. (cerrar, ustedes) ___ la puerta.
5. (volver, usted) ___ mañana.
6. (buscar, ustedes) ___ la información en internet.

Set 5: Nosotros and vosotros commands

Write the command.

1. (cantar, nosotros) ___ juntos.
2. (comer, nosotros) ___ ahora.
3. (ir, nosotros) ___ al parque. (affirmative)
4. (hablar, vosotros) ___ más alto.
5. (escribir, vosotros) ___ vuestros nombres.
6. (hablar, vosotros, negative) No ___ tan rápido.

Set 6: Translate and correct

Translate into Spanish

1. Close the door. (tú)
2. Do not open the window. (usted)
3. Let’s eat.
4. Speak slowly. (ustedes)
5. Do not say that. (tú)

Find and fix the error

1. Hace la tarea, por favor. (tú command)
2. No di eso. (Do not say that, tú.)
3. Ven aquí, no vayes allí. (second command)
4. No abres la puerta. (tú negative command)

Answer key

Set 1

1. Habla
2. Come
3. Escribe
4. Abre
5. Espera

Set 2

1. Di
2. Haz
3. Ve
4. Pon
5. Sal
6. Sé
7. Ten
8. Ven

Set 3

1. hables
2. comas
3. hagas
4. vayas
5. seas
6. tengas
7. pongas
8. empieces

Set 4

1. Tome
2. Abran
3. Diga
4. Cierren
5. Vuelva
6. Busquen

Set 5

1. Cantemos
2. Comamos
3. Vamos
4. Hablad
5. Escribid
6. habléis

Set 6

Translations

1. Cierra la puerta.
2. No abra la ventana.
3. Comamos. (Vamos a comer is also correct.)
4. Hablen despacio.
5. No digas eso.

Corrections

1. Haz la tarea, por favor. The tú command of hacer is irregular.
2. No digas eso. The negative tú command uses the subjunctive (digas), not the affirmative di.
3. Ven aquí, no vayas allí. The subjunctive of ir is vayas.
4. No abras la puerta. A negative tú command uses the subjunctive.

Tips for improving

• Learn the irregular eight (di, haz, ve, pon, sal, sé, ten, ven) as a group. A rhyme or flashcards can help.
• Say commands aloud while doing everyday tasks, such as telling yourself to open a window or turn on a light.
• Notice how the negative differs. Affirmative and negative tú commands use different forms (habla but no hables), and mixing them up is one of the most common errors.
• Practise with real situations: recipe instructions, directions, classroom instructions and signs.
• Learn commands in context. Pasa y siéntate (come in and sit down) is more useful than the bare forms. For more verbs that follow common patterns, see our guide to the most common irregular verbs in Spanish.