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The Imperative (Commands)

FoundationHigherAQA

Learn The Imperative (Commands) for GCSE French with this free worksheet and full mark scheme — Foundation and Higher exam-style practice with worked answers for AQA GCSE French (8652). The imperative gives instructions using the second person singular and plural forms.

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These worksheets and mark schemes are original, written for Virtus Academy and checked against the current AQA specification. Every worksheet comes with a full mark scheme.

Foundation

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Higher

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Topic overview

The imperative gives commands and instructions, and it is formed by dropping the subject pronoun from the present tense.

There are three forms. Tu for one person informally: parle. Nous for let's: parlons. Vous for a group or politely: parlez.

One spelling detail matters. For -er verbs, the tu form drops the final -s: tu parles becomes parle, and tu vas becomes va. This does not apply to other verb groups — tu finis stays finis. In a positive command an object pronoun goes after the verb with a hyphen: regarde-moi. In a negative command it returns before: ne me regarde pas.

Revision notes

The three forms

Tu: parle, finis, attends. Nous: parlons, finissons, attendons. Vous: parlez, finissez, attendez.

The subject pronoun is simply dropped from the present tense form. Nous gives the sense of let's — parlons means let's speak.

The dropped -s

For -er verbs the tu form loses its final -s.

Tu parles becomes parle. Tu manges becomes mange. Aller follows too: tu vas becomes va. Other verb groups keep the -s: tu finis stays finis.

Pronoun position

In a positive command the pronoun follows the verb with a hyphen: regarde-moi, donne-lui.

In a negative command it returns to its usual place before the verb: ne me regarde pas. The two are opposites and both are examined.

Key points

  • The imperative gives commands.
  • The subject pronoun is dropped.
  • There are tu, nous and vous forms.
  • Nous means let's.
  • -er verbs drop the -s in the tu form.
  • Positive commands put the pronoun after the verb.

Worked examples

Example 1

Give the tu imperative of parler. [2 marks]

Working

parledrop the subject pronoun from tu parles
The final -s is dropped because parler is an -er verbexplain the spelling

Example 2

Give the nous imperative of manger and translate it. [2 marks]

Working

mangeonsdrop the subject pronoun from nous mangeons
It means let's eatgive the translation

Example 3

Translate: don't look at me. [2 marks]

Working

Ne me regarde pasuse the negative command form
In a negative command the pronoun returns to its normal place before the verbexplain the position

Common mistakes

  • Keeping the -s on -er verb tu forms.

    Parle, not parles.

  • Dropping the -s from other verb groups.

    Finis keeps its -s.

  • Keeping the subject pronoun.

    Parle, not tu parle.

  • Using the wrong pronoun position in negatives.

    It goes before the verb in a negative command.

Exam tips

  • Drop the subject pronoun.
  • Drop the -s only for -er verbs in the tu form.
  • Use a hyphen in positive commands.
  • Move the pronoun before the verb in negatives.

Key terms

Imperative
The verb form used for commands.
Tu form
The informal singular command.
Vous form
The polite or plural command.
Nous form
The let's form of the imperative.

Related topics

Written and reviewed against the current AQA specification. Spotted an error? Let us know.