The Best Way to Learn Spanish Formal Commands

The Best Way to Learn Spanish Formal Commands Maile Proctor Not sure when to use formal or informal commands in Spanish? Here, language teacher  Jason N.  shares his tips to help you understand the different types of commands, and the easy way to change Spanish verbs to commands When youre studying  Spanish you will learn about the different types of commands. Commands in Spanish arent as easy as they are in English. In English, theres no distinction between formal and informal commands. For example, to make the verb to run into a command, all you need to do is remove the to and simply say, run. Pretty simple, right? Commands arent as straightforward in Spanish. In order to understand Spanish formal commands and how they work, lets look at the distinction between informal and formal commands. You should use an informal command with someone you know well, like a friend, cousin, spouse or classmate. On the other hand, use a formal command with an older person, a superior, and people of high status like doctors, judges, priests, policemen, and lawyers.  If you don’t use formal commands with these types of people, you may unintentionally offend them by addressing them informally. Here is a closer look at Spanish formal commands, and a guide to converting verbs into commands. Using Spanish Formal Commands Use formal commands to show respect when you address a person.  If you want to convert a verb into a formal command, use these three steps: Remove the last two letters of the verb in its infinitive form. For example: Hablar = Habl Remember to flip the ending. The ending refers to whether the verb is ends in -ar or -ir/-er. If it ends in -ar, simply change the a to an e. If its an -er/-ir verb, change the i or e to an a. Add the new ending to the end of the word to create the formal command. Here are some examples: Step 1: Hablar  Habl, Step 2: the a becomes an e Step 3: Hable Step 1: Correr Corr Step 2: the e becomes an a Step 3: Corra Step 1: Vivir Viv Step 2: the i becomes an a Step 3: Viva Practice changing these verbs into commands: Beber Dudar Cambiar Recibir (beba, dude, cambie, reciba) Plural Commands To address more than one person, simply add an n to the formal Spanish command. Hable Hablen Corra Corran It seems pretty easy, right? It can get a little tricky when the verbs are stem-changers or irregular, but your Spanish tutor can help you understand these more complicated topics. For now, practice conjugating verbs into Spanish formal commands, and learn the appropriate times to use them. If you have any questions, make sure to write them down and go over them with a teacher or private tutor. Jason N. tutors in English and Spanish in Fairfax, CA.  He majored in Spanish at UC Davis, lived in Mexico for 3 years where he completed a Masters degree in Counseling, and studied Spanish Literature and Psychology at the University of Costa Rica. Learn more about Jason here!   Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher Photo by  LeafLanguages