Language/Romanian/Grammar/Imperative-Form
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In this lesson, we will explore an essential aspect of Romanian grammar: the imperative form. The imperative mood is used for giving commands, making requests, or offering suggestions, making it a crucial part of everyday communication. Whether you're asking someone to pass the salt or instructing a friend to take a photo, using the imperative correctly can enhance your conversational skills in Romanian.
This lesson is tailored for complete beginners, so we will build from the ground up. We will begin by understanding the structure of the imperative form, followed by numerous examples to illustrate its usage. Finally, you will have the opportunity to practice what you've learned through various exercises.
Let’s dive into the world of commands and requests!
Understanding the Imperative Form
The imperative form in Romanian is quite straightforward. It expresses commands or requests directly, and it can be used in both singular and plural forms. The structure of the imperative can vary depending on the verb conjugation, but we'll cover that in detail.
Here are some key points to remember:
- The imperative can be used in the second person singular (tu) and plural (voi).
- It is often used without the subject pronoun, as the subject is implied.
- There are some irregular verbs that do not follow the regular patterns, and we will highlight those as well.
Forming the Imperative
To form the imperative in Romanian, you typically take the verb stem and add the appropriate endings. Let’s look at the structure:
1. Second Person Singular (tu):
- For most verbs, simply use the verb stem without any ending.
- For verbs ending in -a, the ending is often -e.
2. Second Person Plural (voi):
- For most verbs, add -ați for the present tense.
Let’s see these rules in action with some examples!
| Romanian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| Cântă! | ˈkɨn.tə | Sing! |
| Vorbește! | vorˈbeʃ.te | Speak! |
| Mănâncă! | məˈnɨn.kə | Eat! |
| Scrie! | ˈs.kri.e | Write! |
| Ascultă! | aˈs.kul.tə | Listen! |
| Dansați! | danˈsa.t͡s | Dance! |
| Priviți! | priˈvi.t͡s | Look! |
| Cumpărați! | kum.pəˈra.t͡s | Buy! |
| Învățați! | ɨn.vəˈtsa.t͡s | Learn! |
| Răspundeți! | răsˈpun.de.t͡s | Answer! |
As you can see from the table above, the second person singular commands are direct and simple. The second person plural forms add a suffix to the verb, making it clear that you are addressing multiple people.
Common Verbs in the Imperative Form
Here’s a list of some common verbs in both the singular and plural imperative forms:
| Romanian (Singular) | Romanian (Plural) | English |
|---|---|---|
| Fă! | Faceți! | Do! |
| Vină! | Veniți! | Come! |
| Ia! | Luați! | Take! |
| Du-te! | Duceți-vă! | Go! |
| Spune! | Spuneți! | Say! |
| Dă! | Dați! | Give! |
| Cumpără! | Cumpărați! | Buy! |
| Arată! | Arătați! | Show! |
| Călătorește! | Călătoriți! | Travel! |
| Răspunde! | Răspundeți! | Answer! |
These imperative forms will be very useful in everyday situations.
Politeness in the Imperative
While the imperative mood is often direct, in Romanian culture, politeness is highly valued. To soften your commands and requests, you can add polite phrases, such as “te rog” (please) or “vă rog” (please, formal).
For instance:
- Cântă, te rog! (Sing, please!)
- Scrie, vă rog! (Write, please!)
This approach not only conveys your request but also shows respect and consideration for the listener.
Practice Exercises
Now that we’ve covered the theory, let’s put your knowledge to the test! Here are some exercises to practice forming the imperative mood in Romanian.
Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the sentences with the appropriate imperative form of the verb in parentheses.
1. _______ (a vorbi) mai tare!
2. _______ (a mânca) sănătos!
3. _______ (a asculta) muzica!
4. _______ (a scrie) un mesaj!
5. _______ (a veni) aici!
Solutions:
1. Vorbește mai tare!
2. Mănâncă sănătos!
3. Ascultă muzica!
4. Scrie un mesaj!
5. Vină aici!
Exercise 2: Matching
Match the Romanian imperative commands to their English translations.
Commands:
1. Fă!
2. Du-te!
3. Cumpără!
4. Răspunde!
5. Ascultă!
Translations:
A. Buy!
B. Do!
C. Go!
D. Listen!
E. Answer!
Solutions:
1 - B, 2 - C, 3 - A, 4 - E, 5 - D
Exercise 3: Translate to Romanian
Translate the following English commands into Romanian.
1. Take the book!
2. Come here!
3. Eat your vegetables!
4. Write the answer!
5. Sing a song!
Solutions:
1. Ia cartea!
2. Vină aici!
3. Mănâncă legumele!
4. Scrie răspunsul!
5. Cântă o melodie!
Exercise 4: Create Your Own Commands
Using the verbs from the lesson, create your own commands in both singular and plural forms.
Example:
- Sing! → Cântă!
- Sing! (plural) → Cântați!
Solutions will vary based on student responses.
Exercise 5: Polite Requests
Transform the following commands into polite requests by adding "te rog" or "vă rog."
1. Mănâncă!
2. Învață!
3. Scrie!
4. Du-te!
5. Cumpără!
Solutions:
1. Mănâncă, te rog!
2. Învață, te rog!
3. Scrie, te rog!
4. Du-te, te rog!
5. Cumpără, te rog!
Exercise 6: Imperative Quiz
Choose the correct imperative form for the following sentences:
1. _______ (a merge) la școală! (Singular)
a) Merge!
b) Mergeți!
2. _______ (a citi) cartea! (Plural)
a) Citește!
b) Citiți!
3. _______ (a asculta) muzica! (Singular)
a) Ascultă!
b) Ascultați!
Solutions:
1. a) Merge!
2. b) Citiți!
3. a) Ascultă!
Exercise 7: Identify the Imperative
Identify the imperative sentences in the following text:
Text:
"Vino la petrecere! Mănâncă tortul! Nu uita să aduci băuturi!"
Solutions:
1. Vino la petrecere!
2. Mănâncă tortul!
3. Nu uita să aduci băuturi! (This is a negative command.)
Exercise 8: Forming Negative Imperative
Form the negative imperative for the following commands:
1. Don't sing!
2. Don't go!
3. Don't forget!
Solutions:
1. Nu cânta!
2. Nu merge!
3. Nu uita!
Exercise 9: Role Play
In pairs, practice giving commands to each other using the verbs learned in this lesson.
Solutions will vary based on student interactions.
Exercise 10: Write a Dialogue
Write a short dialogue between two friends using at least five imperative commands.
Solutions will vary based on student responses.
Conclusion
Congratulations on completing this lesson on the imperative form in Romanian! You now have the tools to give commands and make polite requests, essential skills for navigating everyday conversations. Remember to practice regularly and use the polite forms when necessary to show respect to your listeners.
Keep up the great work, and don't hesitate to revisit this lesson whenever you need a refresher. Until next time, la revedere (goodbye) and happy learning!
Sources
- ROMANIAN VERBS
- Appendix:Romanian verb conjugation - Wiktionary
- The imperative and the impersonal modes in Romanian : r/romanian
Other Lessons
- Ablative Case in Romanian
- Plurals
- Present Continuous in Romanian
- How to use the Modal Verb “Must” in Romanian
- Gender of Nouns
- The Accusative Case in Romanian
- Definite Articles in Romanian
- How to use ¨to speak¨ in Romanian
- Adjectives and Adverbs
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