Commands for a Group: The Plural Imperative
When giving instructions to a group of people—like a fitness instructor speaking to a class—you use the plural imperative. Fortunately, this is one of the easiest forms to remember in Romanian: the affirmative plural command is exactly the same as the present tense voi (you all) form, which ends in -ți.
To tell a group not to do something, simply place nu directly before the verb. Unlike singular negative commands, you do not use the infinitive here.
| Stretch your arms and inhale deeply! | Întindeți brațele și inspirați adânc! |
| Exhale slowly and bend your knees! | Expirați încet și îndoiți genunchii! |
| Do not raise your head abruptly, relax! | Nu ridicați capul brusc, relaxați-vă! |
Comparative of Inferiority: Less... Than
When describing how an action is performed, you can compare it using adverbs (like "abruptly," "quickly," or "deeply"). To tell someone to do something "less [adverb] than" someone or something else, use the structure:
mai puțin + adverb + decât (or ca)
Both decât and ca translate to "than" and are generally interchangeable in these comparisons.
| Jump less abruptly than before! | Săriți mai puțin brusc decât înainte! |
| Go down less fast than me! | Coborâți mai puțin repede ca mine! |
| Exhale less deeply than him! | Expirați mai puțin adânc decât el! |
Following the Routine
Let's combine these commands and comparisons to finish out the workout routine. Pay attention to your breathing and keep your balance!
| Put your hands on the mat and keep your balance! | Puneți mâinile pe saltea și păstrați echilibrul! |
| Stay on the mat and go down in my rhythm! | Rămâneți pe saltea și coborâți în ritmul meu! |
| Do not bend your back, use the muscles! | Nu îndoiți spatele, folosiți mușchii! |
