Basic German Grammar Topics
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German-Gender of Nouns4 Topics
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German-Nominative4 Topics
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German-Numbers4 Topics
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German-Adjectives4 Topics
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German-Personal Pronouns & the Verb sein4 Topics
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German-Regular Verbs in the Present Tense4 Topics
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German-Plural Formation4 Topics
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German-Haben and the Accusative Case4 Topics
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German-Word Order4 Topics
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German-Definite Articles4 Topics
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German-Indefinite Articles4 Topics
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German-Negation5 Topics
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German-Modal Verbs4 Topics
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German-Separable Prefix Verbs4 Topics
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German-Coordinating Conjunctions4 Topics
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German-Konjunktiv I4 Topics
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German-Possessive Pronouns4 Topics
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German Question Words4 Topics
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German-Present Perfect of Regular Verbs4 Topics
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German-Present Perfect of Irregular Verbs4 Topics
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German-Present Perfect of Mixed Verbs4 Topics
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German-Dative Case5 Topics
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German-Two Way Prepositions4 Topics
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German-Dative Prepositions4 Topics
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German-Conditionals4 Topics
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German-Future Tense4 Topics
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German-Dative Verbs4 Topics
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German-Simple Past Tense4 Topics
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German-Imperative4 Topics
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German-Comparative4 Topics
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German-Temporal Prepositions4 Topics
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German-Present Perfect Separable Prefix Verbs4 Topics
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German-Irregular Verbs4 Topics
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German-Present Perfect Inseparable Prefix Verbs4 Topics
Participants 257
The imperative mood in German has several forms, and can be “softened” by adding flavoring particles (‘doch’ and ‘mal’) and the word ‘bitte’ (please). ‘Doch’ adds urgency to a command; ‘mal’ expresses impatience; the two combined, ‘doch mal’, is more relaxed.
Beispiele:
Bitte, trinken Sie Wasser! Please, drink water! (polite)
Trinken Sie doch Wasser! Do drink water! (urgent)
Trinken Sie mal Wasser! Come on and drink water! (impatient)
Trinken Sie doch mal Wasser! Go ahead and drink water! (not forceful)
Below is an outline of the forms with more examples.
Forms of the Imperative
There are four forms of the imperative: Second person singular (du), second person plural (ihr), first person plural (wir) and second person formal singular and plural (Sie).
Main Exceptions for 2nd person singular:
- If the main part of a verb ends in consonant +“m” or “n”, add an -e at the end
Examples:
atmen, du atmest; Imperativ: Atme!
zeichnen, du zeichnest; Imperativ: Zeichne!
-BUT-
kommen, du kommst; Imperativ: Komm!
- If the main part of a verb ends in “d” or “t”, add an -e at the end (warten; du wartest; Warte!)
- Change from “a” to “ä” is not happening in the imperative (laufen; du läufst; Lauf!)
- Change from “e” to “ie” is happening in the imperative (lesen; du liest; Lies!)
Examples:
Räum dein Zimmer auf! (Infinitiv: aufräumen; Präsens: du räumst auf)
Macht die Musik aus! (Infinitiv: ausmachen: Präsens: ihr macht aus)
Gehen Sie in das Erdgeschoss! (Infinitiv: gehen; Präsens: Sie gehen)