French Grammar in Context

• Faire +infinitive: faites précuire(text 1, line 17); faites revenir(text 1, line 23); faites régler(text
  2, lines 3–4); laisser+ infinitive: laissez mijoter(text 1, line 33)

Discover more about the imperative

1 USAGE: OTHER WAYS OF EXPRESSING THE IMPERATIVE

a An infinitive may be used to express a general instruction, e.g. Servir frais; Ne pas se pencher
au-dehors(see Chapter 22).

b The future tense may be used to express a polite imperative, e.g. Vous lui en parlerez, s’il vous
plaît(see Chapter 6).

c The imperative of vouloirmay also be used to express a polite imperative, notably in closing
formulae of formal letters, e.g. Veuillez recevoir l’expression de mes sentiments distingués.

d Third-person imperatives are formed by the use of que+ a verb in the subjunctive, e.g. Qu’elle
s’explique(Let her explain herself ) (see Chapter 26).

2 FORMATION

a Four verbs have irregular imperative forms:

• être sois, soyons, soyez


• avoiraie, ayons, ayez


• savoirsache, sachons, sachez


• vouloir veuille, veuillez (meaning please)

b For reasons of euphony (pleasing sound), the second-person singular imperative of verbs
whose present indicative ends in -asor -esretains the final -swhen it is followed by the
pronoun yor en.
e.g. Vas-y; parles-en; manges-en
NoteThe ‘s’ must be pronounced, making a liaison with the following vowel.

3 TREATMENT OF OBJECT PRONOUNS

a If an affirmative imperative is followed by an infinitive, any pronouns which accompany the
imperative remain unchanged.
e.g. Viens me voir demain

b With affirmative imperatives not followed by an infinitive, moiand toiare used instead of me
and te, and are attached to the imperative by a hyphen in the normal way.
e.g. Suivez-moi; Assieds-toi, except when followed by yor en
e.g. Donnez-m’en; Va-t’en

The imperative 125