WHAT IS THE IMPERATIVE MOOD?
There are three different moods of Latin verbs: indicative, imperative, and subjunctive.
Indicative verbs are just the regular, normal, everyday version of the verb.
Imperative verbs are when you command someone to do something.
Subjunctive verbs are verbs that express an action that is unreal, uncertain, called into question, or dependent on another action for their existence.
The imperative mood is used when you want to give someone a command, like "Run" or "Bring me that pencil" or "Punt the cat OVER the goalpost, not INTO it!"
Note: You can also ask someone to do something by using a second-person present-tense subjunctive; this is called the jussive or hortatory subjunctive. Hortatory subjunctives are a less intense, more polite version; they're like saying "please, if it's not too much to ask, bring me that pencil" instead of just the imperative "bring me that pencil."
Indicative verbs are just the regular, normal, everyday version of the verb.
Imperative verbs are when you command someone to do something.
Subjunctive verbs are verbs that express an action that is unreal, uncertain, called into question, or dependent on another action for their existence.
The imperative mood is used when you want to give someone a command, like "Run" or "Bring me that pencil" or "Punt the cat OVER the goalpost, not INTO it!"
Note: You can also ask someone to do something by using a second-person present-tense subjunctive; this is called the jussive or hortatory subjunctive. Hortatory subjunctives are a less intense, more polite version; they're like saying "please, if it's not too much to ask, bring me that pencil" instead of just the imperative "bring me that pencil."
WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE?
Thankfully, the imperative is really simple. There are two types of imperatives - positive and negative - and each of those has two versions - singular and plural.
Positive Imperative - "Do it!"
Singular - "You do it!"
Take the "re" off the end of the infinitive to command one person to do something.
Examples: ambulare means "to walk," so "ambula" is the command, "Walk!"
sedere means "to sit," so "sede" is the command, "Sit!"
abire means "to go away," so "abi" is the command, "Go away!"
Plural - "Y'all do it!"
Take the "re" off the end of the infinitive, then add "te" to command more than one person to do something.
Examples: ambulare means "to walk," so "ambulate" is the command, "Y'all walk!"
sedere means "to sit," so "sedete" is the command, "Y'all sit!"
abire means "to go away," so "abite" is the command, "Y'all go away!"
Negative Imperative - "Don't do it!"
Singular - "You, don't do it!"
Put the word "noli" before the infinitive to command one person
Examples: ambulare means "to walk," so "noli ambulare" is the command, "Don't walk!"
sedere means "to sit," so "noli sedere" is the command, "Don't sit!"
abire means "to go away," so "noli abire" is the command, "Don't go away!"
Plural - "Y'all, don't do it!"
Put the word "nolite" before the infinitive to command one person
Examples: ambulare means "to walk," so "nolite ambulare" is the command, "Y'all don't walk!"
sedere means "to sit," so "nolite sedere" is the command, "Y'all don't sit!"
abire means "to go away," so "nolite abire" is the command, "Y'all don't go away!"
Positive Imperative - "Do it!"
Singular - "You do it!"
Take the "re" off the end of the infinitive to command one person to do something.
Examples: ambulare means "to walk," so "ambula" is the command, "Walk!"
sedere means "to sit," so "sede" is the command, "Sit!"
abire means "to go away," so "abi" is the command, "Go away!"
Plural - "Y'all do it!"
Take the "re" off the end of the infinitive, then add "te" to command more than one person to do something.
Examples: ambulare means "to walk," so "ambulate" is the command, "Y'all walk!"
sedere means "to sit," so "sedete" is the command, "Y'all sit!"
abire means "to go away," so "abite" is the command, "Y'all go away!"
Negative Imperative - "Don't do it!"
Singular - "You, don't do it!"
Put the word "noli" before the infinitive to command one person
Examples: ambulare means "to walk," so "noli ambulare" is the command, "Don't walk!"
sedere means "to sit," so "noli sedere" is the command, "Don't sit!"
abire means "to go away," so "noli abire" is the command, "Don't go away!"
Plural - "Y'all, don't do it!"
Put the word "nolite" before the infinitive to command one person
Examples: ambulare means "to walk," so "nolite ambulare" is the command, "Y'all don't walk!"
sedere means "to sit," so "nolite sedere" is the command, "Y'all don't sit!"
abire means "to go away," so "nolite abire" is the command, "Y'all don't go away!"