Käskymuoto

Käskymuoto, or the imperative mood, is a grammatical mood used to issue commands, orders, directions or requests in Estonian. It is mainly directed at the second person singular or plural, with the subject typically omitted. The form is common in everyday speech, signs, instructions and recipes, and it can also be softened with polite particles such as palun.

Formation and examples: The second person singular imperative is formed from the verb stem and gets a short imperative ending, which varies by verb class. Examples include Loe! (read), Kuula! (listen), Kirjuta! (write), Tee! (do). The second person plural or polite form generally ends with -ge/-ke or uses a dedicated plural form, such as Lugege! or Kirjutage! for “you (pl.) read” or “you (pl.) write.” The negative imperative uses the particle ära before the verb in singular: Ära söö! (Don’t eat!), and Ärge sööge! in the plural or polite form. To express a suggestion or invitation rather than a command, Estonian often uses the inclusive form Läheme! (Let’s go!), which is a present-tense 1st person plural form rather than a separate imperative.

Politeness and tone: The imperative can sound direct or blunt, especially in informal speech. Politeness is typically achieved by adding palun (please) or by using the plural/polite form with Te‑address: Tehke palun. In written or formal contexts, the plural/polite form is standard when addressing more than one person or when speaking to someone respectfully.

Relation to other forms: The imperative contrasts with the subjunctive/conditional mood used for hypothetical or polite requests, and with narrative tenses in subordinate clauses. The subject is often implicit, and context determines whether the form is direct, formal, or softened.