Creating the affirmative, tú command form for regular verbs is straightforward. This command form uses the él, ella, Ud. form of present tense. Although simple, sometimes students are confused about using the same word for two very different uses. To help them clearly illustrate and visualize forming these commands, have students work with a Grid storyboard to get used to the process.
In the first column, students should put the type of verb being used in the title block (verb category), and the infinitive in Spanish and English in the body of the cell. Students should target different verb categories for each row, for example an -ar, an -er, and an -ir verb. One of these verb categories should be boot verbs. In the second column, students will illustrate the formation of the él, ella, Ud. form of present tense for the chosen verb. Then, in the last column, students will create a simple scene to use the command form of each verb. In a speech bubble, one of the characters in the scene should use the command, thus practicing the command form, as well as putting it into context.
(These instructions are completely customizable. After clicking "Copy Activity", update the instructions on the Edit Tab of the assignment.)
Negative tú commands can be tricky for students to master, but engaging activities help them remember the rules and apply them in context. Use interactive methods to boost student confidence and understanding.
Explain that for negative tú commands, students start with the yo form of the present tense, drop the -o, and add -es for -ar verbs or -as for -er/-ir verbs. Highlight exceptions and irregulars as needed for clarity.
Write a few common verbs on the board and walk through the process together. Use verbs students already know, like hablar (no hables), comer (no comas), and escribir (no escribas). Demonstrate each step clearly.
Have students work in pairs to give and respond to negative commands using flashcards or real-life classroom scenarios. Encourage them to act out the commands for added engagement and context.
Ask students to illustrate negative commands in a comic strip or storyboard. Visualizing the context helps students connect meaning and usage, making the rules easier to remember.
The affirmative tú command in Spanish tells someone you’re familiar with to do something. To form it for regular verbs, use the él, ella, Ud. form of the present tense.
To create a Spanish tú command for regular verbs, start with the infinitive, conjugate it to the él, ella, Ud. present tense form, and use that as your command. For example, hablar becomes habla.
A simple classroom activity is to use a Grid storyboard where students categorize verbs, conjugate them to the present tense, and create scenes using the affirmative command form in context.
Students often confuse the tú command form because it shares the same conjugation as the él, ella, Ud. present tense, making it easy to mix up with statements rather than commands.
Boot verbs are verbs that have stem changes in the present tense. When forming tú commands, use the él, ella, Ud. form including the stem change, like pensar → piensa.