ihrimperative

ihrimperative is a term used in linguistics to describe the imperative mood when addressing a group of people in Germanic languages, most often German. It denotes the verb form that speakers use to command or urge a group of listeners who are understood to be the informal you (ihr).

In German, the second-person plural imperative is realized by the verb in its imperative form without an explicit subject pronoun. Typical examples include Geht! (from gehen), Kommt! (from kommen), and Seid! (from sein). The pronoun ihr is implicit in these commands, and the form is used directly as the main predicate of the sentence. Not all verbs have identical stems in all tenses, but the imperative for ihr is a distinct, stand-alone form used specifically for addressing multiple people.

Usage and nuance: The ihrimperative is common in everyday speech among friends, family, and colleagues when giving directions or exhortations. Tone can be altered with particles such as bitte, doch, or mal to soften or intensify the command, for example Geht doch jetzt or Seid bitte leise. Negation typically uses Geht nicht..., as in Geht nicht hinaus, to forbid an action. The ihr-imperative forms contrast with the formal Sie-imperative (Gehen Sie!) and with the first-person plural imperative (Gehen wir!), which includes the speaker as part of the command.

Variations and cross-linguistic context: While most prominent in German, similar second-person plural imperatives exist in related Germanic languages, each with its own set of verb forms. In scholarly discussion, ihrimperative is often presented as a convenient label for this mood, though standard grammars may simply refer to the ihr-imperativ or the second-person plural imperative.