Vosotros Commands

A vosotros/vosotras command is used to order a group of people whom you would individually address in the tú form. The vosotros/vosotras command forms are used mainly in Spain, so you may not encounter them frequently. Even those who use vosotros commands understand you perfectly well if you use ustedes rather than vosotros. If the vosotros commands scare you, just be prepared to recognize them—you can always get away with the Uds. commands with any group.

The affirmative form of vosotros/vosotras commands is completely different from the negative form. To create an affirmative vosotros/vosotras command, replace the - r at the end of the infinitive with a - d.

• Contestad las preguntas, niños.

• Bebed refrescos.

• Servid los postres.

If a verb is reflexive and the pronoun os is attached, the - d is dropped. This will only happen with affirmative commands because the pronoun precedes the negative command form and because negative vosotros/vosotras commands are nothing like affirmative commands.

• Bañaos vosotros por la mañana.

A negative vosotros/vosotras command is simply the present subjunctive conjugation for vosotros/vosotras. To make a negative vosotros/vosotras command, drop the - o ending of the present tense yo form and add the indicative vosotros/vosotras ending normally used for the opposite kind of infinitive: Use - éis for an - ar verb and - áis for an - er or - ir verb. The endings listed in Table 1 are added to the yo form of the verb (minus the - o).

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