Formal Commands: Instructions

✅ FORMAL COMMANDS: Quick Overview

✨ There are two types of formal commands:

usted; singular; you (formal, one person)
ustedes; plural; you all (formal and informal in Latin America)

🔧 How to Form Formal Commands

For -AR verbs:

Replace -ar with:
- -e for usted
- -en for ustedes

For -ER / -IR verbs:

Replace -er / -ir with:
- -a for usted
- -an for ustedes

Infinitive	Usted	Ustedes
hablar	hable	hablen
cortar	corte	corten
limpiar	limpie	limpien
comer	coma	coman
vivir	viva	vivan
escribir	escriba	escriban

Tip 1: The usted/ustedes command conjugations are the same as the present tense subjunctive conjugations.

Tip 2: The subjunctive conjugations swaps out infinitive verb endings.

Infinitive verbs end in -ar, -er, or -ir.

🔹 Step 1: Take an -ar verb
Example: hablar
To conjugate hablar in the subjunctive, you make it look like an -er verb:

hable → singular
hablen → plural

🔹 Step 2: Take an -ir verb
Example: vivir
This next rule works for both -ir and -er verbs.
To conjugate vivir in the subjunctive, you make it look like an -ar verb:

viva → singular
vivan → plural

🗣️ NOTE: The ‘-an’ ending is pronounced with a flat and clear “a” sound, like the “a” in “flat.”
This helps the listener hear it as subjunctive or a formal command, and understand the intention (not just the action).

🧠 **Use ustedes commands when:**

✅ You’re giving instructions to two or more people

✅ You’re in Latin America (especially Mexico), where ustedes is used for any group, formal or informal

✅ You’re talking to: a group of strangers, your friends, family members, colleagues, a classroom full of students, any group, really — no need to check the formality level

✅ You’re giving instructions, directions, warnings, or requests to a group

How to Make Fruit Salad

Formal commands are in bold.

¡Hola a todos!
Hoy vamos a preparar una ensalada de frutas fácil y deliciosa.
Sigan estos pasos y disfruten con amigos o familia.

Primero
Laven bien las frutas con agua fría.
Usen manzanas, plátanos, naranjas y fresas.

Segundo
Pelen los plátanos y las naranjas.
Corten las frutas en trozos pequeños.

Tercero
Mezclen todo en un tazón grande.
Si quieren, agreguen un poco de jugo de naranja.

Cuarto
Sirvan la ensalada en platos pequeños o vasos bonitos.
Disfruten con amigos o con su familia.¡Y no lo olviden!
Compartan esta receta con alguien que ama la fruta.
¡Hasta la próxima!

🧠 Use usted commands when:

You’re giving instructions to one person you’d address formally
You’re being polite, professional, or respectful
Talking to strangers, elders, officials, or customers

top 10 most useful irregular ustedes commands

There are many verbs whose imperative is irregular. While their root changes, they use the same regular endings you just learned.

🧠 Why they’re “irregular”:

Their root changes, but they still follow the same formal command endings discussed above.

Example:tener → normally tien-, but still becomes tengan

Formal commands do come up constantly in real-life Spanish.

These are the ones you’re likely to hear, read, or say in real-world situations, especially in recipes, instructions, group settings, and polite requests.

Verb (Infinitive)	Usted (singular)	Ustedes (plural)	Meaning
ir	vaya	vayan	go
ser	sea	sean	be
estar	esté	estén	be (state/location)
dar	dé	den	give
saber	sepa	sepan	know (info)
tener	tenga	tengan	have
hacer	haga	hagan	do / make
poner	ponga	pongan	put / place
decir	diga	digan	say / tell
venir	venga	vengan	come

Irregular formal command phrases

This shows both the usted (singular) and ustedes (plural) versions side by side — so you can clearly see the difference and feel how they’d be used in real life:

Meaning	Usted (singular)	Ustedes (plural)
Go carefully	¡Vaya con cuidado!	¡Vayan con cuidado!
Be kind	¡Sea amable!	¡Sean amables!
Be ready	¡Esté listo/a!	¡Estén listos/as!
Give me a minute	¡Deme un minuto!	¡Denme un minuto!
Have patience	¡Tenga paciencia!	¡Tengan paciencia!
Be quiet / Silent	¡Haga silencio!	¡Hagan silencio!
Pay attention	¡Ponga atención!	¡Pongan atención!
Tell the truth	¡Diga la verdad!	¡Digan la verdad!
Come here	¡Venga aquí!	¡Vengan aquí!