French commands are everywhere: in kitchens, classrooms, train stations, group chats, cafés, and those mildly dramatic family moments when someone says “Dépêche-toi” and suddenly everyone is late. If you want to understand real spoken French, the imperative matters a lot.
The good news: beginner French commands are usually short, practical, and repeated all the time. You do not need a giant grammar headache wearing a fake moustache. You just need the patterns, the tone, and a solid bank of useful phrases.
By the end of this guide, you will know 90 everyday French imperatives, how they sound, what they mean, and when to use them without accidentally sounding weird, rude, or like a robot from a textbook. If you need more beginner foundations afterward, you can keep going with Learn French, conversational French, and French regular -er, -ir and -re verb conjugation.
What The Imperative Is In French
The imperative is the verb form used for commands, instructions, invitations, and strong suggestions.
In English, it is things like “Come here,” “Wait,” “Listen,” or “Don’t touch that.” In French, it works the same way: Viens, Attends, Écoute, Ne touche pas.
For beginners, the most useful forms are commands for:
- tu — informal singular, used with one person you know well
- nous — “let’s …” commands
- vous — formal singular or plural, used for one person politely or several people
This article focuses mainly on the common everyday command form you will hear most often, especially the tu and vous versions.
French commands are not always bossy. Very often, they simply mean “please do this” or “go ahead and do this.” Tone matters almost as much as grammar.
Quick Rule Before The Useful Stuff
With many regular -er verbs, the tu imperative drops the final -s:
- Tu parles → Parle !
- Tu regardes → Regarde !
- Tu écoutes → Écoute !
But with verbs like aller, you keep it:
- Va ! = Go!
Negative commands wrap around the verb:
- Parle ! = Speak!
- Ne parle pas ! = Don’t speak!
If you want a deeper basics review first, this verb guide will help.
Essential Everyday Commands
These are the commands you will hear all the time in normal life. Start here before chasing fancy dramatic stuff from crime shows.
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Viens | vee-EN | Come | Viens ici, s’il te plaît. | Come here, please. | Informal singular. |
| Venez | veh-NAY | Come | Venez avec nous. | Come with us. | Polite or plural. |
| Va | vah | Go | Va à la porte. | Go to the door. | From aller; keeps no extra ending. |
| Allez | ah-LAY | Go / Go ahead | Allez, entrez. | Go ahead, come in. | Very common in spoken French. |
| Attends | ah-TAHN | Wait | Attends une minute. | Wait a minute. | The final s is silent. |
| Attendez | ah-tahn-DAY | Wait | Attendez ici, s’il vous plaît. | Wait here, please. | Polite in service situations. |
| Regarde | ruh-GARD | Look | Regarde ce chat ! | Look at that cat! | Common with pointing. |
| Regardez | ruh-gar-DAY | Look | Regardez l’écran. | Look at the screen. | Formal or plural. |
| Écoute | ay-KOOT | Listen | Écoute, j’ai une idée. | Listen, I have an idea. | Often used to introduce what you want to say. |
| Écoutez | ay-koo-TAY | Listen | Écoutez bien la question. | Listen carefully to the question. | Useful in class and work. |
Commands For Talking And Communication
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Parle | parl | Speak | Parle plus lentement. | Speak more slowly. | Very useful for learners. |
| Parlez | par-LAY | Speak | Parlez plus fort, s’il vous plaît. | Speak louder, please. | Polite request. |
| Dis | dee | Say / Tell me | Dis-moi la vérité. | Tell me the truth. | With pronoun, hyphen appears. |
| Dites | deet | Say / Tell | Dites-moi votre nom. | Tell me your name. | Very common polite form. |
| Répète | ray-PET | Repeat | Répète, s’il te plaît. | Repeat, please. | Great rescue phrase. |
| Répétez | ray-pay-TAY | Repeat | Répétez la phrase. | Repeat the sentence. | Useful in class. |
| Explique | ex-PLEEK | Explain | Explique le problème. | Explain the problem. | Can sound direct; add s’il te plaît if needed. |
| Expliquez | ex-plee-KAY | Explain | Expliquez encore une fois. | Explain again one more time. | Very useful in lessons. |
| Demande | duh-MAHND | Ask | Demande au professeur. | Ask the teacher. | Not “demand.” False friend alert. |
| Demandez | duh-mahn-DAY | Ask | Demandez de l’aide si besoin. | Ask for help if needed. | Common in instructions. |
Commands For Sitting, Standing, Entering, Leaving
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assieds-toi | ah-syay twah | Sit down | Assieds-toi ici. | Sit here. | Reflexive command. |
| Asseyez-vous | ah-say-yay voo | Sit down | Asseyez-vous, s’il vous plaît. | Please sit down. | Very common polite phrase. |
| Lève-toi | lev twah | Stand up / Get up | Lève-toi, on part. | Get up, we’re leaving. | Can mean get up from bed or chair. |
| Levez-vous | luh-vay voo | Stand up | Levez-vous doucement. | Stand up slowly. | Plural or polite singular. |
| Entre | AHN-tr | Come in / Enter | Entre ! La porte est ouverte. | Come in! The door is open. | Very everyday. |
| Entrez | ahn-TRAY | Come in / Enter | Entrez, madame. | Come in, ma’am. | Polite and common. |
| Sors | sor | Go out / Get out | Sors cinq minutes. | Go outside for five minutes. | Context decides how rude it sounds. |
| Sortez | sor-TAY | Go out / Exit | Sortez par la porte de gauche. | Exit through the left door. | Common in signs and instructions. |
| Reste | rest | Stay | Reste ici. | Stay here. | Short and useful. |
| Restez | res-TAY | Stay | Restez calme. | Stay calm. | Common public instruction. |
Commands For Daily Life And Home
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ouvre | OO-vr | Open | Ouvre la fenêtre. | Open the window. | Useful at home, in class, anywhere. |
| Ouvrez | oo-VRAY | Open | Ouvrez votre livre. | Open your book. | Common classroom command. |
| Ferme | ferm | Close | Ferme la porte. | Close the door. | Very frequent. |
| Fermez | fer-MAY | Close | Fermez les yeux. | Close your eyes. | Watch the silent final letters in nouns. |
| Prends | pran | Take | Prends ton sac. | Take your bag. | Final s is silent. |
| Prenez | pruh-NAY | Take | Prenez un ticket. | Take a ticket. | Very common in public places. |
| Mets | may | Put / Put on | Mets la table. | Set the table. | Also means “put on” clothes depending on context. |
| Mettez | meh-TAY | Put / Put on | Mettez votre manteau. | Put on your coat. | Very useful in winter. Tragically useful. |
| Enlève | ahn-LEV | Remove / Take off | Enlève tes chaussures. | Take off your shoes. | Common at home. |
| Enlevez | ahn-luh-VAY | Remove / Take off | Enlevez votre veste. | Take off your jacket. | Polite or plural. |
Commands For Eating, Drinking, And Shopping
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mange | mahnzh | Eat | Mange avant de partir. | Eat before leaving. | Regular -er command, no final s. |
| Mangez | mahn-ZHAY | Eat | Mangez chaud. | Eat it while it’s hot. | Common advice. |
| Bois | bwah | Drink | Bois un peu d’eau. | Drink a little water. | The written s is silent. |
| Buvez | bew-VAY | Drink | Buvez lentement. | Drink slowly. | Polite/plural. |
| Goûte | goot | Taste / Try | Goûte ce gâteau. | Try this cake. | Very common with food. |
| Goûtez | goo-TAY | Taste / Try | Goûtez notre spécialité. | Try our specialty. | Restaurant-friendly phrase. |
| Choisis | shwah-ZEE | Choose | Choisis une couleur. | Choose a color. | Useful in shops and apps. |
| Choisissez | shwa-zee-SAY | Choose | Choisissez une option. | Choose an option. | Formal/plural. |
| Paye | pay | Pay | Paye à la caisse. | Pay at the register. | Everyday in shops. |
| Payez | pay-YAY | Pay | Payez ici, s’il vous plaît. | Pay here, please. | Often on signs. |
Commands For Study, Work, And Screens
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lis | lee | Read | Lis ce message. | Read this message. | Final s is silent. |
| Lisez | lee-ZAY | Read | Lisez le texte. | Read the text. | Useful in class and work. |
| Écris | ay-KREE | Write | Écris ton nom ici. | Write your name here. | Common form. |
| Écrivez | ay-kree-VAY | Write | Écrivez une phrase complète. | Write a complete sentence. | Polite/plural. |
| Travaille | tra-VAI | Work | Travaille bien. | Work well. | Can sound encouraging or strict. |
| Travaillez | tra-vai-YAY | Work | Travaillez en groupe. | Work in a group. | Useful in classroom instructions. |
| Commence | koh-MAHNS | Start / Begin | Commence maintenant. | Start now. | Common in instructions. |
| Continuez | kon-tee-new-AY | Continue | Continuez tout droit. | Continue straight ahead. | Also useful for directions. |
| Clique | kleek | Click | Clique sur le lien. | Click on the link. | Modern everyday French. |
| Cliquez | klee-KAY | Click | Cliquez ici pour continuer. | Click here to continue. | Very common online. |
Commands For Speed, Movement, And Daily Action
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dépêche-toi | day-pesh twah | Hurry up | Dépêche-toi, le bus arrive. | Hurry up, the bus is coming. | Very common spoken phrase. |
| Dépêchez-vous | day-pay-shay voo | Hurry up | Dépêchez-vous, s’il vous plaît. | Please hurry up. | Can sound urgent. |
| Tourne | toorn | Turn | Tourne à droite. | Turn right. | Great for directions. |
| Tournez | toor-NAY | Turn | Tournez à gauche. | Turn left. | Common in GPS and directions. |
| Monte | mohnt | Go up / Get on | Monte dans la voiture. | Get in the car. | Depends on context. |
| Montez | mohn-TAY | Go up / Get on | Montez au premier étage. | Go up to the first floor. | Useful in buildings and transport. |
| Descends | day-SAHN | Go down / Get off | Descends ici. | Get off here. | Final letters are mostly silent. |
| Descendez | day-sahn-DAY | Go down / Get off | Descendez prudemment. | Go down carefully. | Common in transport. |
| Tiens | tyan | Here / Take this | Tiens, voilà ton café. | Here, that’s your coffee. | Very natural spoken French. |
| Tenez | tuh-NAY | Here / Take this | Tenez, votre reçu. | Here is your receipt. | Polite service phrase. |
Negative Commands You Need All The Time
If positive commands help people do things, negative commands stop people from doing questionable things. Very useful, because humans are creative.
The pattern is simple:
- Ne + verb + pas
- Ne parle pas. = Don’t speak.
- Ne bougez pas. = Don’t move.
| French | Pronunciation | Meaning | Example Sentence | Translation | Learner Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ne touche pas | nuh toosh pah | Don’t touch | Ne touche pas à ça. | Don’t touch that. | Very common warning. |
| Ne touchez pas | nuh too-shay pah | Don’t touch | Ne touchez pas l’écran. | Don’t touch the screen. | Seen on signs too. |
| Ne parle pas | nuh parl pah | Don’t speak | Ne parle pas si vite. | Don’t speak so fast. | Useful for learners. |
| Ne parlez pas | nuh par-lay pah | Don’t speak | Ne parlez pas tous en même temps. | Don’t all speak at the same time. | Common classroom phrase. |
| Ne bouge pas | nuh boozh pah | Don’t move | Ne bouge pas ! | Don’t move! | Strong and short. |
| Ne bougez pas | nuh boo-zhay pah | Don’t move | Ne bougez pas, s’il vous plaît. | Please don’t move. | Polite but firm. |
| Ne t’inquiète pas | nuh تان-kee-et pah | Don’t worry | Ne t’inquiète pas, tout va bien. | Don’t worry, everything is fine. | The te becomes t’ before a vowel. |
| Ne vous inquiétez pas | nuh voo zan-kee-ay-tay pah | Don’t worry | Ne vous inquiétez pas, on va vous aider. | Don’t worry, we’ll help you. | Liaison in vous inquiétez. |
| N’oublie pas | noo-blee pah | Don’t forget | N’oublie pas tes clés. | Don’t forget your keys. | Ne becomes n’ before vowel. |
| N’oubliez pas | noo-blee-yay pah | Don’t forget | N’oubliez pas votre passeport. | Don’t forget your passport. | Excellent travel phrase. |
Polite Commands And Softening Phrases
A bare command is not always rude in French, but adding a softener makes life nicer. And usually gets better results. Shocking, really.
- s’il te plaît = please, informal
- s’il vous plaît = please, polite or plural
- bien can soften or clarify: Écoutez bien = listen carefully
- allez can encourage: Allez, viens = come on, come
Compare these:
- Assieds-toi. = Sit down.
- Assieds-toi, s’il te plaît. = Sit down, please.
- Asseyez-vous, s’il vous plaît. = Please sit down.
Common Pronunciation Notes
- Final consonants are often silent: attends, prends, bois, lis.
- Commands with pronouns often use a hyphen: Dis-moi, Asseyez-vous, Dépêche-toi.
- Elision happens before vowels: N’oublie pas, Ne t’inquiète pas.
- Liaison sometimes appears in polite forms, especially in careful speech: vous inquiétez.
Common Mistakes And Fixes
| Mistake | Correct French | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Parles ! | Parle ! | For many -er verbs, the tu imperative drops the final -s. |
| Ne parle! | Ne parle pas ! | Negative commands need ne…pas. |
| Asseyez-toi | Assieds-toi | The tu command of s’asseoir is irregular. |
| Dis moi | Dis-moi | Use a hyphen in affirmative commands with pronouns. |
| S’il te plaît with strangers | S’il vous plaît | Use vous for politeness or more than one person. |
Mini Practice
Try these quick conversions.
- Tu regardes la porte. → Regarde la porte.
- Vous attendez ici. → Attendez ici.
- Tu ne parles pas si vite. → Ne parle pas si vite.
- Vous ouvrez le livre. → Ouvrez le livre.
- Tu te dépêches. → Dépêche-toi.
Translation drill:
- Come here. → Viens ici.
- Please sit down. → Asseyez-vous, s’il vous plaît.
- Don’t forget your phone. → N’oublie pas ton téléphone.
- Wait a minute. → Attends une minute.
- Read this message. → Lis ce message.
Quick Reference Summary
- The imperative gives commands, instructions, invitations, and suggestions.
- The most useful beginner forms are tu and vous.
- Many -er verbs lose the final -s in the tu command: Parle, Regarde, Écoute.
- Negative commands use ne…pas: Ne touche pas, Ne parlez pas.
- Use s’il te plaît informally and s’il vous plaît politely or with more than one person.
- Learn high-frequency commands first: viens, attends, regarde, écoute, ouvre, ferme, prends, lis, écris, dépêche-toi.
Where To Go Next
If you want to keep building practical beginner French, these next steps make sense:
- Learn everyday openings and hellos with useful French greetings.
- Build speaking confidence with conversational French.
- Check your level with the French placement test CEFR.
- See how many words you already know with the French vocabulary test.
Yak takeaway: French commands are short, useful, and gloriously practical. Learn a few dozen of them, and suddenly real French starts sounding a lot less like stylish chaos and a lot more like actual instructions you can follow.
