imperativesubjunctive

Imperative-subjunctive is a label used in some linguistic descriptions to refer to a form or construction that combines imperative force with subjunctive morphology. The term is not universally standardized; it is mainly encountered in typological or historical grammars where the same verbal form can function imperatively in clause structure while bearing a subjunctive mood in its inflection. In practice, it often denotes hortatory or jussive uses of the subjunctive.

Across languages, what is described as imperative-subjunctive typically includes (a) subjunctive forms used to issue commands, requests, or exhortations, and (b) imperative-like semantics arising from subjunctive mood in subordinate clauses or through periphrastic constructions. This contrasts with a dedicated imperative mood proper, where morphologically distinct imperative forms carry imperative meaning.

Morphology and usage vary by language family; some languages allow the present or imperfect subjunctive to convey exhortation, while others employ particles or auxiliary verbs combined with subjunctive forms to produce a forceful directive. In many descriptions, these uses are classified under hortatory or jussive subjunctive rather than an exclusive "imperative-subjunctive" category.

Because it is not a single, universally recognized mood, the term appears mainly in certain grammars and typological discussions, and may overlap with discussions of the subjunctive's function or the jussive mood. Related concepts include the subjunctive mood, the imperative mood, and hortatory or jussive constructions.