El imperativo es necesario para decir "Habla" o "Come".

The imperative is necessary to say "Speak" or "Eat."

Breakdown of El imperativo es necesario para decir "Habla" o "Come".

• ser: to be
• para: for
• el imperativo: the imperative
• necesario: necessary
• decir: to say
• Habla: Speak
• o: or
• Come: Eat

Questions & Answers about El imperativo es necesario para decir "Habla" o "Come".

Why do we use Habla and Come instead of Hablas or Comes?

When giving a direct command in the tú form, Spanish uses the simple base of the verb without the final "s." In Habla, you remove the "s" from Hablas to give the order "Speak!" And in Come, you remove the "s" from Comes to say "Eat!"

Is el imperativo the same as the imperative mood in English?

Yes. El imperativo in Spanish corresponds to the imperative mood in English. Both function to give orders, instructions, or direct requests. However, Spanish has a more developed system for formal (usted) and informal (tú) commands.

How do I know when to use Habla instead of Hable?

Use Habla for informal (tú) commands. If you need to address someone with more respect or formality, you use Hable, which corresponds to usted. This distinction is very common in Latin American Spanish.

Do we normally include the subject pronoun (tú or usted) when giving a command?

In Spanish, it is standard not to use tú or usted right before a command. You simply say Habla or Hable. Including the pronoun (tú habla, usted hable) sounds overly explicit and is generally not necessary.

Is the imperative used only for positive commands?

No. Spanish has negative commands too, such as No hables (Don't speak) or No comas (Don't eat). These are formed differently, typically using the subjunctive form after "no."