Forms in l'impératif
- « Back to Q&A Forum
- « Previous questionNext question »
KariKwiziq community member
Forms in l'impératif
Why do some verbs conjugate in the il/elle form if the lesson says there can only be tu/nous/vous? Example Donne-lui, Regarde-le etc. I am confused.
This question relates to:French lesson "Conjugate regular verbs in L'Impératif (imperative)"
Asked 2 years ago
GruffKwiziq team member
Hi Kari,
Those examples aren't conjugated in the il/elle form but I can see that it's the verb object (as opposed to the subject) that's confusing you.
So "donne-lui" for example is really [tu] donne-lui : [you] give it to him. "lui" in that sentence has no bearing on which conjugation you use. Verbs can take any object as normal but you only give commands to other people in the secon person so you would conjugate using the tu/vous/nous forms.
Make sense?
Those examples aren't conjugated in the il/elle form but I can see that it's the verb object (as opposed to the subject) that's confusing you.
So "donne-lui" for example is really [tu] donne-lui : [you] give it to him. "lui" in that sentence has no bearing on which conjugation you use. Verbs can take any object as normal but you only give commands to other people in the secon person so you would conjugate using the tu/vous/nous forms.
Make sense?
KariKwiziq community member
But isn't the (tu) donnes and (tu) regardes? Why is there no "s" on the end in l'imperatif?
GruffKwiziq team member
Hi Kari - that's explained in the lesson. "Note that for all verbs ending in -ER (including aller), the -s is dropped at the end of the tu form."
KariKwiziq community member
Yep I see that now that you bave pointed it out - must have read through it too quickly and missed that completely
Kari asked:View original
Forms in l'impératif
Why do some verbs conjugate in the il/elle form if the lesson says there can only be tu/nous/vous? Example Donne-lui, Regarde-le etc. I am confused.
Don't have an account yet? Join today
Ask a question
Find your French level for FREE
Test your French to the CEFR standard
Find your French level