Portuguese, like many other languages, has a grammatical mood known as the imperative mood. The imperative mood is used to express commands, requests, or instructions. In Portuguese, imperative sentences are commonly used to give orders, make requests, offer advice, or issue instructions. This form of sentence is crucial in everyday communication as it allows us to express our desires or intentions directly to others. In this guide, we will explore the structure and usage of imperative sentences in Portuguese, along with some examples to help you understand and use them effectively.
Basic Structure of Imperative Sentences
Imperative sentences in Portuguese have a straightforward structure. They usually consist of a single verb in its base form, also known as the infinitive form, without any subject pronouns. The verb form used in the imperative mood is distinct from other verb forms in Portuguese, as it is specific to commands or requests. Here is an example of a basic imperative sentence:
Fale! (Speak!)
In this example, “fale” is the base form of the verb “falar,” which means “to speak.” The exclamation mark at the end emphasizes the commanding nature of the sentence. Notice that there is no explicit subject pronoun in this sentence.
Usage of Imperative Sentences
Giving Commands or Orders
One common use of imperative sentences is to give commands or orders. This could be in various contexts, such as a teacher instructing students, a parent giving directions to a child, or a boss delegating tasks to employees. Here are a few examples:
Estude para a prova! (Study for the test!)
Feche a porta, por favor. (Close the door, please.)
Falem mais devagar. (Speak more slowly.)
Making Requests
Imperative sentences can also be used to make requests in a direct and concise manner. When using imperatives to make requests, it is common to add the word “por favor” (please) to maintain politeness. Here are some examples:
Traga-me um café, por favor. (Bring me a coffee, please.)
Me ajude com esta tarefa, por favor. (Help me with this task, please.)
Deixe-me passar, por favor. (Let me pass, please.)
Offering Advice or Instructions
Imperative sentences can be used to offer advice or instructions to someone. This can be seen in various situations, such as giving guidance to a friend, providing recommendations, or explaining a process. Here are a few examples:
Pratique todos os dias para melhorar. (Practice every day to improve.)
Não se esqueça de trazer um guarda-chuva. (Don’t forget to bring an umbrella.)
Siga em frente e vire à esquerda na próxima rua. (Go straight ahead and turn left at the next street.)
Conjugation of Imperative Verbs
While the basic structure of imperative sentences involves using the base form of a verb, there are some irregular verbs that require specific conjugations in the imperative mood. Let’s take a look at how some of these verbs are conjugated:
Ir (to go):
Vá! (Go!)
Vamos! (Let’s go!)
Vão! (Go!)
Ser (to be):
Seja! (Be!)
Sejamos! (Let’s be!)
Sejam! (Be!)
Fazer (to do/make):
Faça! (Do/make!)
Façamos! (Let’s do/make!)
Façam! (Do/make!)
It is important to note that the second-person singular pronoun “tu” is often omitted in imperative sentences. Instead, the verb form is used directly. For example:
Come a tua comida. (Eat your food.)
Fala com o teu irmão. (Talk to your brother.)
Negative Imperative Sentences
In addition to positive imperative sentences, it is also possible to form negative imperative sentences in Portuguese. To create a negative imperative, the word “não” (not) is placed before the verb. Here are a few examples:
Não faças isso. (Don’t do that.)
Não comam a sobremesa. (Don’t eat the dessert.)
Não saia agora. (Don’t leave now.)
It is important to remember that when using negative imperatives, the word “não” should be placed directly before the verb, without any separation.
Politeness in Imperative Sentences
In Portuguese, imperative sentences can vary in terms of politeness depending on the context and the relationship between the speaker and the listener. To convey a more polite tone, it is common to add the word “por favor” (please) to the end of the sentence, as mentioned earlier. Additionally, using the third-person imperative can also help maintain politeness. Instead of directly addressing the person, the speaker refers to them indirectly using the third-person form of the verb. Here are a few examples:
Pode me ajudar, por favor? (Can you help me, please?)
Poderiam fechar a janela? (Could you close the window?)
By employing these strategies, you can ensure that your imperative sentences are polite and respectful.
Conclusion
Imperative sentences are an essential part of everyday communication in Portuguese. Whether you want to give commands, make requests, offer advice, or provide instructions, understanding and using imperative sentences correctly will greatly enhance your ability to interact with others. Remember that imperatives typically consist of a single verb in its base form, without any subject pronouns. By mastering the structure and conjugation of imperative verbs, you’ll be well on your way to using this grammatical mood effectively. Practice forming imperative sentences in different contexts, and soon you’ll be able to express yourself confidently and clearly in Portuguese.
Quick quiz
Exercise 1:
Choose the correct imperative sentence for the given context:
Context: You want someone to close the window.
a) Fecha a janela.
b) Fechar a janela.
c) Feche a janela.
Answer: c) Feche a janela.
Explanation: The correct answer is “Feche a janela” because it is the imperative form of the verb “fechar” (to close) conjugated for the second-person singular (you). The verb form “feche” is used to give a direct command or instruction to someone.
Example Sentence: Feche a janela, por favor. (Close the window, please.)
Exercise 2:
Choose the correct negative imperative sentence for the given context:
Context: You want someone to stop talking.
a) Fale mais.
b) Não falar mais.
c) Não fale mais.
Answer: c) Não fale mais.
Explanation: The correct answer is “Não fale mais” because it is the negative imperative form of the verb “falar” (to speak) conjugated for the second-person singular (you). The addition of “não” before the verb negates the command, instructing the person to stop talking.
Example Sentence: Não fale mais alto, por favor. (Don’t speak louder, please.)
Exercise 3:
Choose the correct polite imperative sentence for the given context:
Context: You want someone to wait a moment.
a) Espere um momento.
b) Espera um momento.
c) Espere um momentinho.
Answer: a) Espere um momento.
Explanation: The correct answer is “Espere um momento” because it is the polite imperative form of the verb “esperar” (to wait) conjugated for the second-person singular (you). The use of “espere” instead of “espera” and the addition of “um momento” (a moment) make the sentence more polite and respectful.
Example Sentence: Por favor, espere um momento. (Please wait a moment.)
Exercise 4:
Choose the correct imperative sentence to give the following command:
Command: Open the door.
a) Abrir a porta.
b) Abre a porta.
c) Abra a porta.
Answer: c) Abra a porta.
Explanation: The correct answer is “Abra a porta” because it is the imperative form of the verb “abrir” (to open) conjugated for the second-person singular (you). The verb form “abra” is used to give a direct command or instruction to open the door.
Example Sentence: Abra a porta, por favor. (Open the door, please.)
Exercise 5:
Choose the correct negative imperative sentence to give the following command:
Command: Don’t touch that.
a) Toca isso.
b) Não toque isso.
c) Não tocar isso.
Answer: b) Não toque isso.
Explanation: The correct answer is “Não toque isso” because it is the negative imperative form of the verb “tocar” (to touch) conjugated for the second-person singular (you). The addition of “não” before the verb negates the command, instructing the person not to touch that.
Example Sentence: Não toque isso, é frágil. (Don’t touch that, it’s fragile.)
Exercise 6:
Choose the correct imperative sentence to make the following request:
Request: Help me, please.
a) Ajuda-me, por favor.
b) Ajudem-me, por favor.
c) Me ajude, por favor.
Answer: c) Me ajude, por favor.
Explanation: The correct answer is “Me ajude, por favor” because it is the imperative form of the verb “ajudar” (to help) conjugated for the second-person singular (you). The inclusion of “me” before the verb indicates the request is directed towards the person being addressed.
Example Sentence: Me ajude a levantar essa caixa, por favor. (Help me lift this box, please.)
Exercise 7:
Choose the correct imperative sentence to give the following command:
Command: Turn off the lights.
a) Apague as luzes.
b) Apaga as luzes.
c) Apagar as luzes.
Answer: a) Apague as luzes.
Explanation: The correct answer is “Apague as luzes” because it is the imperative form of the verb “apagar” (to turn off) conjugated for the second-person singular (you). The verb form “apague” is used to give a direct command or instruction to turn off the lights.
Example Sentence: Apague as luzes antes de sair. (Turn off the lights before leaving.)
Exercise 8:
Choose the correct negative imperative sentence to give the following command:
Command: Don’t forget to call me.
a) Não esquece de me ligar.
b) Esqueça de me ligar.
c) Não se esqueça de me ligar.
Answer: c) Não se esqueça de me ligar.
Explanation: The correct answer is “Não se esqueça de me ligar” because it is the negative imperative form of the reflexive verb “esquecer-se” (to forget oneself) conjugated for the second-person singular (you). The addition of “não” and “se” before the verb negates the command, instructing the person not to forget to call.
Example Sentence: Não se esqueça de me ligar amanhã. (Don’t forget to call me tomorrow.)
Exercise 9:
Choose the correct polite imperative sentence to make the following request:
Request: Please bring me a glass of water.
a) Traga-me um copo de água.
b) Me traga um copo de água.
c) Traga um copo de água.
Answer: a) Traga-me um copo de água.
Explanation: The correct answer is “Traga-me um copo de água” because it is the polite imperative form of the verb “trazer” (to bring) conjugated for the second-person singular (you). The inclusion of “me” before the verb indicates the request is directed towards the person being addressed.
Example Sentence: Traga-me um copo de água gelada, por favor. (Please bring me a glass of cold water.)
Exercise 10:
Choose the correct imperative sentence to give the following command:
Command: Clean your room.
a) Limpe o seu quarto.
b) Limpa o seu quarto.
c) Limpem o seu quarto.
Answer: a) Limpe o seu quarto.
Explanation: The correct answer is “Limpe o seu quarto” because it is the imperative form of the verb “limpar” (to clean) conjugated for the second-person singular (you). The verb form “limpe” is used to give a direct command or instruction to clean your room.
Example Sentence: Limpe o seu quarto antes do jantar. (Clean your room before dinner.)
Originally posted 2023-07-19 03:20:50.