How to Use the Imperative Mood for Commands in Romanian

Understanding the Imperative Mood in Romanian

The imperative mood in Romanian is used to give commands, make requests, or offer invitations. It is an essential part of everyday communication, especially when you want to tell someone to do something directly. Unlike English, Romanian imperative forms change depending on the person you are addressing and whether the command is affirmative or negative.

Who is the Imperative Used With?

In Romanian, the imperative is primarily used with the second person singular (tu), second person plural (voi), and the first person plural (noi) to express commands or suggestions. For example, telling one person to do something uses the tu form, while addressing a group uses the voi form. The noi form is used to suggest an action that includes the speaker, similar to "Let's..." in English.

Forming Affirmative Commands in Romanian

To form affirmative commands, Romanian verbs are conjugated differently depending on the verb group and the person addressed. Here are the general rules:

• For tu (you singular), use the third person singular form of the present tense for most verbs.
• For voi (you plural), use the second person plural form of the present tense.
• For noi (we), use the first person plural form of the present tense to suggest "Let's..."

Let's look at examples with the verb a vorbi (to speak):

• Tu vorbește! (Speak!)
• Voi vorbiți! (You all speak!)
• Noi vorbim! (Let's speak!)

Examples with Different Verbs

Here are some common verbs in the imperative mood for the tu form:

• A mânca (to eat): Mănâncă! (Eat!)
• A scrie (to write): Scrie! (Write!)
• A merge (to go): Mergi! (Go!)

Forming Negative Commands in Romanian

Negative commands are formed differently from affirmative ones. For negative commands, Romanian uses the word nu (no/not) followed by the infinitive form of the verb. This applies to all persons.

Examples:

• Nu vorbi! (Don't speak!)
• Nu mânca! (Don't eat!)
• Nu mergeți! (Don't go! - plural)

Polite and Formal Commands

When addressing someone formally or politely, Romanian uses the third person singular or plural forms of the verb in the subjunctive mood, often preceded by să. This is similar to saying "Please" or making a polite request in English.

Examples:

• Să vorbească! (Please speak!)
• Să mănânce! (Please eat!)
• Să meargă! (Please go!)

Common Imperative Phrases in Romanian

Tips for English Speakers Learning Romanian Imperative

Because Romanian imperative forms differ from English, here are some tips to help you master them:

• Remember that negative commands use the infinitive form preceded by nu.
• Practice the different forms for singular and plural commands.
• Use the noi form to suggest actions including yourself, similar to "Let's..." in English.
• Listen to native speakers to get a feel for polite commands using să.

Summary

The imperative mood in Romanian is a vital tool for giving commands, making requests, and inviting others to act. By understanding the forms for affirmative and negative commands, as well as polite requests, English speakers can communicate more effectively and naturally in Romanian.