When giving advice or instructions, you will often need the verbs être (to be) and avoir (to have). Both of these verbs have irregular imperative forms.
The imperative of "être"
To tell someone to "be" something, use these imperative forms:
| Pronoun | Imperative |
|---|---|
| tu | sois |
| nous | soyons |
| vous | soyez |
| It is a romantic date, so be natural! | C'est un rendez-vous amoureux, alors sois naturel ! |
| Be elegant and punctual for your date. | Soyez élégant et ponctuel pour votre rendez-vous. |
The imperative of "avoir"
avoir also has irregular imperative forms:
| Pronoun | Imperative |
|---|---|
| tu | aie |
| nous | ayons |
| vous | ayez |
| Have a beautiful smile for this woman! | Aie un beau sourire pour cette femme ! |
| Let's be polite and have a good conversation. | Soyons polis et ayons une bonne conversation. |
Negative commands with "avoir"
In French, many feelings are expressed using avoir, such as avoir peur (to be afraid) and avoir honte (to be ashamed).
To tell someone not to feel a certain way, frame the imperative form with ne (or n' before a vowel) and pas.
| She is a nice girl, so do not be afraid! | C'est une fille sympa, alors n'aie pas peur ! |
| Do not be ashamed to tell the truth. | N'aie pas honte de dire la vérité. |
| Choose a perfume, be elegant and don't be ashamed! | Choisis un parfum, sois élégant et n'aie pas honte ! |
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