French conjugation explanation
Irregular Imperatives (Subjunctive stems)
<p>For the vast majority of French verbs, the
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/31/" target="_blank">Imperative</a>
forms (used for commands) look exactly like the<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/25/" target="_blank">Present Indicative</a>
forms without the subject pronoun. However, a small but crucial group of irregular verbs derives the imperative from the<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext" href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/29/" target="_blank">Present Subjunctive</a>
stem instead.</p><p>This irregularity affects four very common verbs:
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/%C3%AAtre/" title="Click to see conjugations for être" target="_blank">être</a>
,<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/avoir/" title="Click to see conjugations for avoir" target="_blank">avoir</a>
,<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/savoir/" title="Click to see conjugations for savoir" target="_blank">savoir</a>
, and<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/vouloir/" title="Click to see conjugations for vouloir" target="_blank">vouloir</a>
.</p><div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Être (to be)</div>
<p>Learners often guess the imperative based on the indicative form <span style="font-style: italic;">tu es</span>, leading to the incorrect form <span class="red_emphasis">Es</span>. The correct forms come from the subjunctive stem (<span style="font-style: italic;">sois-/soy-</span>).</p>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Sois</span> sage ! (<span style="font-style: italic;">Be good! / Behave!</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Soyons</span> réalistes. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Let's be realistic.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Soyez</span> prudents sur la route. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Be careful on the road.</span>)</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/31/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Impératif affirmatif</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(tu)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sois<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(nous)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">soyons<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(vous)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">soyez<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Avoir (to have)</div>
<p>Similarly,
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/avoir/" title="Click to see conjugations for avoir" target="_blank">avoir</a>
uses the subjunctive roots <span style="font-style: italic;">ai-</span> and <span style="font-style: italic;">ay-</span> rather than the indicative forms (<span style="font-style: italic;">as/avons/avez</span>).</p><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Aie</span> du courage ! (<span style="font-style: italic;">Have courage!</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Ayons</span> confiance en l'avenir. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Let's have faith in the future.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence">N'<span class="green_emphasis">ayez</span> pas peur. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Don't be afraid.</span>)</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/31/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Impératif affirmatif</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(tu)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">aie<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(nous)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">ayons<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(vous)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">ayez<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Savoir (to know)</div>
<p>This is a frequent source of errors. Learners often write <span class="red_emphasis">Savez</span>, but correct commands use the subjunctive stem <span style="font-style: italic;">sach-</span>. Note that <span style="font-style: italic;">savoir</span> in the imperative often signifies "Be aware that..." or "Know that...".</p>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Sache</span> que tu n'es pas seul. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Know that you are not alone.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Sachez</span> garder un secret. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Know how to keep a secret.</span>)</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_tense_container">
<a class="study_conjugations_tense_label box_label tense_box no_dark_mode " href="/study/tenseGuideForTense/31/" target="_blank" title="Open tense guide">Impératif affirmatif</a>
<div class="study_conjugations_conjugation conjugations_table two_columns">
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(tu)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sache<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(nous)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sachons<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms highlighted_conjugation">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span><span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">
(vous)
</span><span class="irregular_conjugation" title="irregular conjugation">sachez<span class="irregularity_circle">●</span></span></span>
</div>
</div>
<div class="study_conjugations_forms conjugation_forms">
<div class="conjugation_form">
<span class="study_conjugations_pronoun conjugation_pronoun">---</span>
</div>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_title">Vouloir (to want)</div>
<p>While
<a class="conjugation_explanation_link_intext verb_link" href="/study/conjugations/fra/vouloir/" title="Click to see conjugations for vouloir" target="_blank">vouloir</a>
has a rarely used form that looks like the indicative (<span style="font-style: italic;">veux, voulons, voulez</span>), the standard polite command corresponds to the subjunctive root <span style="font-style: italic;">veuill-</span>. This is used to say "Please" or "Kindly".</p><div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Veuillez</span> vous asseoir. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Please sit down / Kindly seat yourself.</span>)</div>
<div class="conjugation_explanation_example_sentence"><span class="green_emphasis">Veuillez</span> patienter un instant. (<span style="font-style: italic;">Please wait a moment.</span>)</div>