Imperative Mood in Portuguese

Overview

Imperative Mood (Imperativo) is a elementary (CEFR A2) topic in Portuguese grammar. Commands: tu form from present (fala! come!), você/vocês use subjunctive forms. Negative uses não + subjunctive. Pronouns attach to affirmative commands.

Understanding imperative mood is essential for building correct Portuguese sentences and communicating effectively. This concept is introduced at the A2 level and forms part of the foundation for more advanced grammar structures.

Whether you are learning Brazilian or European Portuguese, mastering imperative mood will significantly improve your ability to express yourself naturally and accurately in a variety of contexts.

How It Works

Imperative forms:

	tu (affirmative)	voce (affirmative)	tu (negative)	voce (negative)
-AR	fala!	fale!	nao fales!	nao fale!
-ER	come!	coma!	nao comas!	nao coma!
-IR	abre!	abra!	nao abras!	nao abra!

Tu affirmative: present tense tu form minus final -s. Voce/voces: subjunctive forms. Negative: always nao + subjunctive.

Pronouns attach to affirmative (Escreve-me!) but precede negative (Nao me escrevas!).

Examples in Context

Portuguese	English	Note
Fala mais devagar!	Speak more slowly! (tu)
Coma a sopa!	Eat the soup! (você)
Não fales tão alto!	Don't speak so loud!
Escreve-me!	Write to me!
Venha ca!	Come here!	voce
Nao digas nada!	Do not say anything!	neg. tu
Sentem-se.	Sit down.	voces
Abre a janela!	Open the window!	tu
Nao se preocupe.	Do not worry.	neg. voce

Common Mistakes

Incorrect form usage

• Wrong: Applying rules from English or other languages directly
• Right: Follow Portuguese-specific patterns for imperative mood
• Why: Portuguese has its own rules that do not always align with English or other Romance languages.

Forgetting agreement rules

• Wrong: Not matching gender, number, or person correctly
• Right: Ensure all elements in the sentence agree with each other
• Why: Portuguese requires strict agreement between subjects, verbs, articles, adjectives, and pronouns.

Mixing formal and informal registers

• Wrong: Using tu forms with voce verb conjugations, or vice versa
• Right: Be consistent with your chosen register throughout a conversation
• Why: Register consistency is important for natural-sounding Portuguese.

Usage Notes

This concept appears across both Brazilian and European Portuguese, though specific usage patterns may differ between the two variants. At the A2 level, focus on understanding the core patterns before worrying about regional differences.

In everyday conversation, imperative mood is used frequently in both formal and informal contexts. Pay attention to how native speakers use it in the media you consume, and note any differences between Brazilian and Portuguese sources.

Practice Tips

1. Practice imperative mood with authentic Portuguese texts, listening for how native speakers use these forms in context.
2. Create flashcards with complete example sentences rather than isolated words to reinforce natural patterns.
3. Write short paragraphs using imperative mood and compare them with native-written texts to identify areas for improvement.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Regular -AR Verbs -- provides the foundational knowledge needed for imperative mood