Forms in l'impératif

Question

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.

Gruff Davies · Answer

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?

Kari Fenrich · Answer

But isn't the (tu) donnes and (tu) regardes?  Why is there no "s" on the end in l'imperatif?

Gruff Davies · Answer

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."

Kari Fenrich · Answer

Yep I see that now that you bave pointed it out - must have read through it too quickly and missed that completely