Imperative

The following is a complete review of the Imperative, which you have already encountered during your first year of language learning with the Tako Lako textbook. All of the information below is taken from the first-year textbook.

☰The verb BITI

The imperative form of the verb biti (to be) is formed in the following way. At this point, take the form as it is.

The meaning of the biti imperative indicates your command to someone to be [something – such as ready, good, etc.]. For example, children hear this command while growing up. They very often hear parents say: Budi dobar! / Budi dobra! It simply means, be good (behave well).

☰ The –ti verbs

The imperative mood expresses a command and personal pronouns are not used in the imperative. The Imperative is used to express commands in the second person singular (ti) and first (mi) and second (vi) persons plural. It is formed by adding a certain ending to each form. Look at the tables below. The present tense form is also given for better understanding why we form the imperative in this specific way.

Endings Type #1

The first type of endings is used for most regular -ti verbs (usually those ending in –ati [gledati] or –ovati [kupovati]). Compare the above present tense form with the imperative form to see the similarities within the stem of the verb.

Ending Type #2

The second type of endings are used mostly for the verbs that end in –iti [kupiti], –jeti [voljeti], or certain –ati verbs that do not follow the regular ending paradigm within that group [trčati, kihati, disati]. Always think of the present tense when forming the imperative, it will help you determine what type of endings to use.

What happens with the third person singular/plural in the Imperative?

If you think about it, we cannot actually give a direct command to him/her/them. Since a third person is not in our company we cannot express a command directly. Think of the English structure “let him eat the salad.” With this structure we are saying to someone (who is in our company) to send our message to a third person (who is not in our company) that he can eat the salad. This same notion/structure exists in Croatian as well. To form the third person singular or plural form in the imperative, we used the following structure: neka + present tense of the 3rd person singular or plural.

☰ The –ći verbs

The –ći verbs (such as reći) in their imperative forms will all undergo certain sound changes. These verbs have to be memorized. There is a rule that can help you in memorizing the forms: think of the third person plural of the present tense when forming the imperative of –ći verbs. All –ći verbs will take the second type of endings that we mentioned in the previous grammar section.

• second person singular (ti): ending -i
• first person plural (mi): ending -imo
• second person plural (vi / Vi): ending -ite

Look at the following groups of –ći verbs and how we form the imperative.

Group #1: verbs like reći (to say) nad peći (to bake)

The present tense of these two verbs is: reći > oni reknu / oni reku, peći > oni peku. As you can see, in their Present Tense forms, both of these verbs have their infinitive stem in -k- (oni rek-u, oni pek-u). Since the stem of the verb in its infinitive form ends in –k– and when combined with the –i ending, a certain sound change happens: k + i = ci.

Group #2: verbs like leći (to lie down) nad pomoći (to help)

The present tense of these two verbs is: leći > oni legnu, pomoći > oni pomognu. As you can see, in their Present Tense forms, both of these verbs have their infinitive stem in -g- (oni leg-nu, oni pomog-nu). Since the stem of the verb in its infinitive form ends in –g– and when combined with the –i ending, a certain sound change happens: g + i = zi.

Group #3: verbs that derive from ići : poći, doći, otići, etc.

Think of these verbs and their present tense third person plural (‘they’) forms. You will add the appropriate ending to the stem of the verb.

☰ Prohibiting action

Prohibition and/or request

The imperative in its negative form expresses the prohibition in doing something. There are two possible ways to express prohibition in Croatian. We will use the verb pričati as an example.

a) To express strong prohibition – use NE in front of the imperative form

• second person singular (ti): ne pričaj
• third person singular (on-ona-ono): neka ne priča
• first person plural (mi): ne pričajmo
• second person plural (vi / Vi): ne pričajte
• third person plural (oni-one-ona): neka ne pričaju

b) To express something between a request and prohibition.

It is formed by using: nemoj, nemojmo nemojte + infinitive.

• second person singular (ti): nemoj pričati
• first person plural (mi): nemojmo pričati
• second person plural (vi / Vi): nemojte pričati