The Imperative: Giving Instructions
The Imperative: Giving Instructions
The Dutch imperative is the bare verb stem, shorter even than the English form. Because it can sound curt, Dutch softens commands with small particles — even, maar, eens — that have no direct English translation but do the work English gets from 'just' or a rising tone.
Grammar Comparison
Grammar Comparison
The imperative is the bare stem, with no ending
Kom! Wacht! Ga zitten!
Come! Wait! Sit down!
Take the infinitive, remove -en, and you have the imperative: komen → kom, wachten → wacht, gaan → ga. It is identical for one person or many — Dutch does not distinguish singular from plural here, and neither does English. Separable verbs split as usual, sending the prefix to the end: Sta op! Doe de deur dicht!
even, maar and eens soften a command
Kom even hier. Wacht maar. Kijk eens.
Come here a moment. Just wait. Take a look.
A bare Dutch imperative can sound sharp, so speakers almost always insert a softening particle. even suggests 'briefly, just for a moment', maar signals reassurance or permission, eens invites rather than orders. English achieves a similar effect with 'just', 'why don't you' or simply intonation; in Dutch the particle is close to obligatory in polite everyday speech, and leaving it out is a common reason learners come across as brusque.
Formal and inclusive commands use a full verb form
Komt u binnen. Laten we gaan.
Do come in. Let's go.
With the formal u, the imperative may take the -t ending and include the pronoun: Komt u binnen, Gaat u zitten — a noticeably formal register you will meet from officials and in written notices. The inclusive 'let's' is laten we + infinitive: Laten we gaan, Laten we beginnen. Both constructions keep the infinitive or main verb at the end, matching the pattern of the rest of the language.
Vocabulary
Vocabulary
- English
- Come!
- English
- Wait a moment!
- English
- Take a look!
- English
- Sit down
- English
- Close the door
- English
- Let's go
- English
- Do come in
- English
- Don't!
- English
- Watch out!
- English
- Go ahead and say it / What can I get you?
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