Imperativ

The imperativ, or imperative mood, is the grammatical category used to express commands, requests, instructions, or invitations. It typically conveys action directed at the listener and often omits an explicit subject, which is understood as you or, in some cases, a group including the speaker. The imperative commonly contrasts with the indicative and the subjunctive and may show distinctions of formality, person, or inclusivity (for example, the inclusive “let’s” in English and other languages).

In German, the Imperativ has several distinct forms. For informal singular (du) commands, the verb stem is used, sometimes with a vowel change: geh(e)!, iss!, bleib!. For informal plural (ihr): geht!, bleibt!. The formal command to a single listener or group uses Sie: Gehen Sie! or Gehen Sie bitte! To propose action by the speaker and listener together, German uses Lass uns gehen or Gehen wir! The negative imperative typically adds nicht or uses nicht after the verb, as in Geh nicht! or Gehen Sie nicht! Some verbs are irregular: sei! (from sein) and hab! (from haben) are common informal forms. The subject is often omitted.

Across languages, the imperative is handled in diverse ways. Some languages provide explicit formal and informal forms and distinct inclusive (let’s) constructions, while others rely on the bare verb with politeness markers or modal phrases. The imperative is a core mood used not only for direct commands but also for polite requests and invitations, and it interacts with social context through formality, tone, and nonverbal cues.