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Five-minute Spanish Lessons - Lesson 5.Spanish imperatives versus subjunctives (2).I said in "Spanish imperatives versus subjunctive 1" that Spanish lacks an imperative (giving orders or instruction form) in the "usted" form so that the subjunctive must be used: eg.: ¡Váyase usted, Sr. González! (imperative) Frequent statement from the then Spanish leader of the opposition party of the time, José María Aznar. Leave, Mr. Gonzalez! ¡He dicho que usted se vaya! (subjunctive) I told you to go! Interestingly, in Spain, you used to see "push" and "pull" signs on doors of public buildings, bars etc. in the "vosotros" form (informal "you") instead of the "ustedes" form simply because it was thought to be grammatically wrong to use the subjunctive instead of the instruction form ie, the imperative: Empujad. Push. Tirad. Pull. The increase in advertising and public signs has meant a necessary solution for addressing the public in the imperative. So now public billboard and signs use the infinitive of the verb as though it were an imperative: Empujar. Push. Esperar su turno. Please wait your turn. No fumar. No smoking. Remember, though, this 'false' imperative is never used in spoken Spanish. The other anomaly is that Spanish has no imperative in any negative form; again the subjunctive is used. Learners of Spanish must remember to make the necessary verb changes while learners of English have it much easier with an unchanging English imperative identical to the English infinitive: ¡Sal de aquí inmediatamente! "Tú" form: ¡(Que) no salgas! (subjunctive) Don't get out! ¡Ven aquí! "Tú" form: ¡(Que) no vengas! (subjunctive) Don't come! Lea las instrucciones. (subjunctive for imperative) "Usted" form: ¡(Que) no lea esta basura! (subjunctive) Don't read this rubbish! ¡Hagan cola, por favor! (subjunctive for imperative) "Ustedes" form: ¡(Que) no hagan ruido, por favor! (subjunctive) Please don't make a noise! I end with a dialogue from Tarzan and Jane. Note the colloquial expressions and uses of imperatives and subjunctives. Tarzán: Voy a salir a jugar con los elefantes. Jane: Pues, que no te ensucies el taparrabos y no vuelvas tarde. Tarzán: Oye, pero no me des órdenes; ¡que el hombre de la casa soy yo! Jane: Bien. Como tú quieras. Pues, sé un hombre moderno de la casa: ¡lávate tú la ropa y prepárate la cena! Tarzán: (arrepentido) Ay, Jane, no seas así conmigo. Jane: Well, don't get your loincloth dirty and don't come back late. Tarzan: Hey, don't order me about! I'm the man of the house! Jane: Right. Have it your way. So be a modern man of the house and wash the clothes and make the dinner! Tarzan: (regretting) Aw, Jane, don't get like that with me.
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