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• Command forms

The form of a command depends upon the speaker's relationship to the person(s) being addressed. Three forms are possible:

1. the du form, for one person whom one calls by the first name,
2. the ihr form, for several people whom one calls by the first name,
3. the Sie form, for one or several people whom one calls by the last name.

1) Franz, komm herein! 2) Jens und Petra, kommt herein! 3) Herr Braun, kommen Sie herein! Herr und Frau Schmidt, kommen Sie herein!

Come in!

Commands to persons whom the speaker addresses with du use the verb stem associated with du in statements and questions, but with no ending or with an optional -e ending. This means that verbs with 1) an e > i or 2) an e > ie vowel change use the changed vowel in the command form. Verbs with 3) an a > ä or au > äu vowel change, however, use the original vowel in the command form. 4) Some irregular forms occur.

1) Gib uns etwas Geld! 2) Lies diesen Artikel! 3) Laufe nicht so schnell! 4) Werde nicht böse auf mich!

Give us some money! Read this article! Don't run so fast! Don't get angry at me!

Commands to a group of persons whom the speaker addresses individually with du use the same verb form as that associated with ihr in statements and questions.