demandez

Demandez is a form of the French verb demander, meaning to ask or to request. It is the present tense form used with the pronoun vous (vous demandez = you ask) and also the imperative form used to issue a command or polite instruction to a group or to a single person in a formal context (Demandez = Ask! in the vous form). The informal singular imperative would be Demande (tu).

Etymology and sense evolution: Demander comes from Old French demander, which in turn traces to Latin demandāre, meaning to demand or to entrust. Over time its meaning expanded from the idea of entrusting information or a request to simply asking for something or for someone’s action.

Grammar and conjugation: Demander is a regular -er verb. Key forms include: je demande, tu demandes, il/elle demande, nous demandons, vous demandez, ils/elles demandent. The past participle is demandé, used in compound tenses with avoir, as in j’ai demandé. The imperative forms are Demande! (tu), Demandez! (vous), Demandons! (nous). Negation follows the standard pattern: ne demandez pas. When used with an indirect object, the common construction is demander à quelqu’un de faire qqch, as in Demandez à quelqu’un de venir ou Demandez conseil à un professionnel.

Usage notes: Demandez is typical in both everyday conversation and formal or public contexts. It appears in directions, information desks, customer service, and instructional signage. Common phrases include Demandez le chemin (Ask for directions) or Demandez conseil (Seek advice). The verb remains regular in its conjugation, making it a representative example of the -er paradigm in French.