A2.37 - Looking for a job

Affirmative informal imperative: "Tú" and "Vosotros"

Imperativo afirmativo informal: "Tú" y "Vosotros"

Formas informales para dar órdenes o consejos.

(Informal forms to give orders or advice.)

When to use the imperative (tú / vosotros)

Use the affirmative imperative to give direct instructions, advice, or encouragement:

  • Tú = to one person you address informally.
  • Vosotros = to a group you address informally (mainly used in Spain).

Good to know: In Spanish, these commands often sound normal and practical (less “rude” than in English), especially with context.

How to form it (quick, reliable method)

Person Rule Example
tú Use él/ella/usted present form hablar → (él) habla → Habla más despacio.
vosotros Infinitive minus -r + -d hablar → hablad → Hablad más despacio.

Spot the typical mistakes (and how to self-correct)

  • Mistake 1: using “tú” present

    Dices la verdad. ✅ Di la verdad.

  • Mistake 2: forgetting that “tú” imperative often looks like “he/she”

    ✅ Trabaja con entusiasmo. (looks like “he/she works”, but it’s a command)

  • Mistake 3: mixing up vosotros with present vosotros

    Decís lo que pensáis. ✅ Decid lo que pensáis.

Irregular forms you simply have to know (high frequency)

Some verbs don’t follow the regular patterns. Learn them as “fixed” command forms.

Infinitive tú (imperative) Example
decir di Di la verdad.
hacer haz Haz la solicitud hoy.
tener ten Ten paciencia.

Pronouns: usually omitted, sometimes added for clarity

In commands, the subject pronoun is normally not used:

  • ✅ Contesta al teléfono. (not “Tú contesta”)
  • ✅ Contestad profesionalmente. (not “Vosotros contestad”)

Add the pronoun only if you need contrast or emphasis:

  • ✅ Tú contesta al cliente y vosotros revisad el informe.

Fast self-check before you choose a form

  1. Am I talking to one person or a group? → tú / vosotros
  2. Is it affirmative? (Yes: use these forms.)
  3. Is the verb irregular? (e.g., decir → di)
  4. If regular:
    • tú: use “he/she” present
    • vosotros: infinitive -r + d
  1. For tú, use the third person singular of the present tense.
  2. For vosotros, use the infinitive without -r + -d.
  3. Irregular verbs have their own forms: ten, haz.
Pronombre (Pronoun)Forma (Form)Ejemplo (Example)
TúDiDi la verdad. (Tell the truth.)
VosotrosDecidDecid lo que pensáis. (Say what you think.)
Tú ContestaContesta al móvil.
Vosotros ContestadContestad profesionalmente en todo momento.
TúTrabaja¡Trabaja con entusiasmo! (Work with enthusiasm!)
VosotrosTrabajad¡Trabajad!

Exercise 1: Multiple choice

Instruction: Choose the correct answer

1. _____ la verdad en la entrevista y habla de tu experiencia con calma.

_____ the truth in the interview and talk about your experience calmly.

2. _____ al móvil cuando te llamen del portal de empleo.

_____ the phone when they call you from the job portal.

3. _____ con entusiasmo y revisad el currículum antes de enviarlo.

_____ with enthusiasm and review the résumé before sending it.

4. _____ en la carta de presentación por qué queréis este puesto de trabajo.

_____ in the cover letter why you want this job.

Exercise 2: Multiple Choice

Instruction: Choose the correct option in the affirmative imperative (tú or vosotros).

1.
To give an order to “tú” the imperative is used: “Envía”, not the present “envías”.
The accent mark is missing in “envía” (imperative form of “tú”).
2.
“Pone” is the imperative of “tú” (colloquially it would be “pon”); with “vosotros” it must be “poned”.
This sentence is in the negative imperative; here we are looking for the affirmative imperative; moreover, the opposite idea does not match the exercise.

Exercise 3: Rewrite the phrases

Instruction: Rewrite each sentence as an informal affirmative command (tú / vosotros), as indicated in the parentheses. Example: (tú) No dices la verdad. → Di la verdad.

Show/Hide translation Show/Hide hints
  1. Hint Hint (tú) No dices la verdad en la reunión.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Di la verdad en la reunión.
    (Tell the truth in the meeting.)
  2. Hint Hint (vosotros) No decís lo que pensáis en clase.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Decid lo que pensáis en clase.
    (Say what you think in class.)
  3. Hint Hint (tú) No contestas al móvil durante el trabajo.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Contesta al móvil durante el trabajo.
    (Answer your phone during work.)
  4. Hint Hint (vosotros) No contestáis los correos con educación.
    ⇒ ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Example
    Contestad los correos con educación.
    (Reply to emails politely.)

Exercise 4: Grammar in action

Instruction: In pairs, give instructions and advice using informal imperatives.

Show/Hide translation
Situation
En la oficina de empleo, aconsejas a dos amigos que preparan una candidatura hoy.
(At the employment office, you advise two friends who are preparing a job application today.)
Discuss
  • ¿Qué documentos prepara cada uno y por qué son importantes? (What documents is each person preparing and why are they important?)
  • ¿Qué debéis escribir en la carta de presentación para mostrar vuestro perfil? ¿Qué experiencia tenéis y cómo la contáis? ¿Qué decís si os llaman para una entrevista? (What should you write in the cover letter to show your profile? What experience do you have and how do you describe it? What do you say if they call you for an interview?)
Useful words and phrases
  • Di tu experiencia en el currículum. (Say your experience in the résumé.)
  • Decid vuestro perfil en la carta de presentación. (Say your profile in the cover letter.)
  • Contesta puntual y organizada si llaman del puesto. (Answer promptly and in an organized way if they call about the position.)
Use in conversation
  • Tú: di, contesta, trabaja (You: say, answer, work)
  • Vosotros: decid, contestad (You all: say, answer)

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