Language/Russian/Grammar/Imperative-give-an-order

Today we will study how to form the imperative from Russian verbs.

First of all you have to recognize if the verb is perfective or imperfective:

• if the verb is imperfective, use the 3rd person from the plural to the present,
• if the verve is perfective, use the 3rd person of the plural in the future.

For verbs whose root ends with a vowel

Take the 3rd person of the plural without the ending and add:

• й - for the familiarity (ты)
• is - for the plural or the vouvant (вы)

думать -> думают -> думай / думайте (think)

If it's a reflexive verb, remove the ending and add:

• яся - for the familiarity (ты)
• тесь - for the plural or the vouvant (вы)

стараться -> стараются -> старайся / старайтесь (try, try)

For verbs whose root ends with a consonant

Take the 3rd person of the plural without the ending and add:

• и - for the familiarity (ты)
• ите - for the plural or the vouviante (вы)

просить -> просят -> проси / просите (ask)

If it is a reflexive verb, remove the ending and add:

• ися - for the familiarity (ты)
• итесь - for the plural or the vouviante (вы)

влюбиться -> влюбятся -> влюбись / влюбитесь (fall in love)

However, if the tonic accent to the infinitive falls on the root of the verb, it is necessary to add ь or ьте according to the cases:

знакомить -> знакомят -> знакомь / знакомьте (get to know each other)

Finally, here are some irregular verbs:

• быть -> будь / будьте (to be)
• есть -> ешь / ешьте (to eat)
• ждать -> жди / ждите (wait)
• идти -> иди / идите (go - walk)
• ехать -> езжай / езжайте (to go - by car)