the correct form of address is Sie or du (plural ihr; see also 58 ). The imperative forms of
sein and haben are:Thus, Sei ruhig!, Seid ruhig!, and Seien Sie bitte ruhig! all mean ‘Be quiet!’See 7.3 (p. 10) for word order in commands.
41.2 The various imperatives are formed as follows. Note that in written German the
exclamation mark is normal usage (see also 59.6):
For the Sie form, invert subject and verb:
Machen Sie das!
Do that!
For the ihr form, use the normal present tense form on its own:
Schlaft gut!
Sleep well!For the du form, take the -(e)st ending off the du form, present tense:
Mach das!
Do that! See^33 (pp. 59–70) for basic verb forms.
However, note the following points about the imperative du form:(a) Verbs which add an umlaut in the present tense for the du form (see 33.7c) lose it in
the imperative:
Du schläfst
You are sleeping.
Schlaf gut!
Sleep well.
Du fährst nicht nach London.
You are not going to London.
Fahr nicht nach London!
Don’t go to London!
(b) Verbs which have the vowel change e > i in the present tense (see 33.7c) retain this
change in the imperative:
Du gibst es mir.
You give it to me. See^12 (pp. 17–18) for word order here.
Gib es mir!
Give it to me!
Du nimmst es nicht.
You’re not taking it.Sie form seien Sie! haben Sie!
du form of address sei! hab!
ihr form of address seid! habt!41
VERBS