Table of Contents
Using the Imperative in German
The imperative is the verb form you use for giving instructions, advice, and commands. In this chapter you learn how to form and use it with different forms of “you.” Many examples will be connected to health and the body, such as instructions from a doctor or trainer.
When German Uses the Imperative
You use the imperative to tell someone to do something. It can sound very friendly, neutral, or strong, depending on context and tone.
Examples in English:
“Take this pill.”
“Open your mouth.”
“Please sit down.”
German works in a similar way, but you must choose the correct form of “you.” The core idea is: imperative = base verb form that addresses the person directly, often without a subject.
The imperative in German always depends on which “you” you use:
du, ihr, or Sie.
Imperative with “du”
This is the informal singular “you,” used with friends, family, and children.
Forming the du imperative
Start from the du form in the present tense, then remove the pronoun “du.” In many verbs you also drop the final -st ending.
Example with a regular verb:
ich machen, du machst
imperative: Mach!
More examples:
ich nehmen, du nimmst
imperative: Nimm!
Basic pattern for du:
- Take the du form of the present tense.
- Remove du.
- Often remove the ending -st.
Result: Verb!
Examples related to health:
“Öffne den Mund!”
Open your mouth.
“Nimm die Tabletten!”
Take the tablets.
“Ruh dich aus!”
Rest!
Du imperative with and without -e
Many verbs can take an optional -e ending. Both forms are correct, but the shorter form is more common in everyday speech.
Examples:
“Mach das!” or “Mache das!”
Do that.
“Geh zum Arzt!” or “Gehe zum Arzt!”
Go to the doctor.
“Trink viel Wasser!” or “Trinke viel Wasser!”
Drink plenty of water.
Du imperative with stem changes
Some du forms change the vowel, for example e → i or e → ie. In the imperative, this change often stays.
Examples:
du sprechen → du sprichst → “Sprich langsam!”
Speak slowly.
du essen → du isst → “Iss gesund!”
Eat healthy food.
du lesen → du liest → “Lies die Packungsbeilage!”
Read the package leaflet.
With some a → ä verbs, the umlaut is often not used in the imperative in modern German, especially in speech, but both exist in practice. At A2, focus on the forms you see in dictionaries and textbooks.
Imperative with “ihr”
“Ihr” is informal plural “you,” used when speaking to more than one person in a friendly or familiar way, such as a group of friends or children.
Forming the ihr imperative
This form is very simple. It is exactly the same as the normal present tense ihr form, but without the pronoun “ihr.”
Example:
ihr macht → “Macht das!”
Do that!
ihr nehmt → “Nehmt die Medizin!”
Take the medicine!
ihr ruht euch aus → “Ruh(e)t euch aus!”
Have a rest!
Basic pattern for ihr:
- Take the ihr form of the present tense.
- Remove ihr.
Result: Verb + normal ihr ending (-t)!
More health examples:
“Bleibt im Bett!”
Stay in bed.
“Wascht euch die Hände!”
Wash your hands.
“Zieht euch warm an!”
Dress warmly.
Imperative with “Sie”
“Sie” is the formal “you,” both singular and plural, used with adults you do not know well, with patients, customers, or in professional situations. Doctors often use this form with patients.
Forming the Sie imperative
Here you use the infinitive of the verb, then add “Sie” after it.
Example:
machen → “Machen Sie …!”
“Öffnen Sie den Mund!”
Open your mouth.
“Nehmen Sie diese Tabletten!”
Take these tablets.
“Ruhen Sie sich aus!”
Have a rest.
Basic pattern for Sie:
Infinitive + Sie
Example: “Gehen Sie nach Hause.”, “Trinken Sie viel Wasser.”
More health related examples:
“Setzen Sie sich, bitte.”
Please sit down.
“Bewegen Sie den Arm.”
Move your arm.
“Atmen Sie tief ein.”
Breathe in deeply.
“Lesen Sie die Anweisungen.”
Read the instructions.
Imperative with “wir”
There is also a form to invite people to do something together, similar to English “Let’s …”.
Structure:
“Verb in wir-form + wir”
or more common: “Lass uns + infinitive” (informal).
Examples:
“Gehen wir spazieren!”
Let’s go for a walk.
“Machen wir Pause!”
Let’s take a break.
“Lass uns zum Arzt gehen!”
Let’s go to the doctor.
At A2 you only need to recognize these. You will mainly use du, ihr, and Sie.
Adding “bitte” and Softening the Imperative
In German, an imperative can sound very direct. To be polite, you often add “bitte” or use a softer tone.
Positions of “bitte”:
“Bitte, setzen Sie sich.”
“Setzen Sie sich, bitte.”
“Bitte setzen Sie sich.”
All mean: Please sit down.
With du:
“Bitte, trink mehr Wasser.”
Please drink more water.
“Geh zum Arzt, bitte.”
Please go to the doctor.
With ihr:
“Bleibt bitte hier.”
Please stay here.
To sound polite, especially with Sie, almost always add bitte or use a friendly intonation.
Negation in the Imperative
You often need to say what someone should not do. Use “nicht” or “kein/keine …” with the imperative.
Using “nicht”
Place “nicht” after the verb, usually at the end or before the part you want to negate.
Examples:
“Rauch nicht!”
Do not smoke!
“Trink nicht so viel Kaffee!”
Do not drink so much coffee!
“Bewegen Sie den Arm nicht.”
Do not move your arm.
“Bleibt nicht so lange in der Sonne!”
Do not stay in the sun so long!
Using “kein / keine …”
When you want to say “no + noun,” use kein/keine instead of an indefinite article. It behaves like an article.
Examples:
“Trink keinen Alkohol!”
Do not drink alcohol.
“Iss keine Süßigkeiten!”
Do not eat sweets.
“Nehmen Sie keine Tabletten ohne Rezept.”
Do not take tablets without a prescription.
“Esst keine schweren Mahlzeiten vor dem Schlafengehen!”
Do not eat heavy meals before going to sleep.
Word Order and Pronouns in the Imperative
In the imperative, pronouns often come directly after the verb.
Examples with reflexive verbs:
“Ruh dich aus!”
Rest!
“Ruhen Sie sich aus!”
Have a rest.
“Setz dich hin!”
Sit down.
“Setzt euch hin!”
Sit down (you all).
Word order patterns:
“Lies den Text laut vor!”
Read the text aloud.
“Nimm die Medizin heute Abend!”
Take the medicine this evening.
“Lesen Sie den Text bitte laut vor!”
Read the text aloud, please.
In long sentences, the verb remains at the beginning, and other information follows after.
Typical Health and Body Imperatives
Here are common imperatives you may hear at the doctor, at the pharmacy, or in sports and fitness contexts. They use du or Sie, the two most frequent forms.
Doctor to patient (Sie):
“Atmen Sie tief ein und aus.”
Breathe in and out deeply.
“Halten Sie den Atem an.”
Hold your breath.
“Stellen Sie sich bitte hierhin.”
Please stand here.
“Legen Sie sich auf die Liege.”
Lie down on the examination bed.
“Drehen Sie sich auf die Seite.”
Turn on your side.
“Öffnen Sie den Mund weit.”
Open your mouth wide.
“Bewegen Sie das Bein nicht.”
Do not move the leg.
Informal advice to a friend (du):
“Geh zum Arzt!”
Go to the doctor.
“Bleib im Bett!”
Stay in bed.
“Schlaf genug!”
Sleep enough.
“Trink viel Wasser!”
Drink plenty of water.
“Iss mehr Obst und Gemüse!”
Eat more fruit and vegetables.
“Mach regelmäßig Sport!”
Exercise regularly.
“Mach eine Pause!”
Take a break.
“Zieh dich warm an!”
Dress warmly.
“Pass auf!”
Be careful!
Short Contrast: du, ihr, Sie Side by Side
Here is a quick comparison using the same verb in different imperative forms.
| English | du form | ihr form | Sie form |
|---|---|---|---|
| Take the tablets! | Nimm die Tabletten! | Nehmt die Tabletten! | Nehmen Sie die Tabletten! |
| Open your mouth! | Öffne den Mund! | Öffnet den Mund! | Öffnen Sie den Mund! |
| Rest! | Ruh dich aus! | Ruht euch aus! | Ruhen Sie sich aus! |
| Drink a lot of water! | Trink viel Wasser! | Trinkt viel Wasser! | Trinken Sie viel Wasser! |
| Go to the doctor! | Geh zum Arzt! | Geht zum Arzt! | Gehen Sie zum Arzt! |
| Do not smoke! | Rauch nicht! | Raucht nicht! | Rauchen Sie nicht! |
Use this table as a reference when you give health related advice to different people.
New Vocabulary
| German | English |
|---|---|
| der Imperativ | imperative (verb form) |
| der Befehl | command |
| die Aufforderung | request, instruction |
| geöffnet (öffnen) | opened (to open) |
| atmen | to breathe |
| einatmen | to breathe in |
| ausatmen | to breathe out |
| der Atem | breath |
| halten | to hold |
| sich ausruhen | to rest |
| sich bewegen | to move (oneself) |
| sich setzen | to sit down |
| sich hinlegen | to lie down |
| sich drehen | to turn oneself |
| die Liege | examination bed |
| tief | deep(ly) |
| laut | loud, aloud |
| gesund | healthy |
| die Anweisung | instruction |
| die Packungsbeilage | package leaflet (medication) |
| die Tablette | tablet, pill |
| die Medizin | medicine |
| das Rezept | prescription |
| die Süßigkeiten (Pl.) | sweets, candy |
| die Mahlzeit | meal |
| die Pause | break, pause |
| sich anziehen | to get dressed |
| warm | warm |
| aufpassen | to pay attention, be careful |
| der Sport | sport, exercise |
| regelmäßig | regularly |
| genug | enough |
| die Gesundheit | health |
| krank | ill, sick |
| der Patient / die Patientin | patient (m/f) |
| der Arzt / die Ärztin | doctor (m/f) |