JLPT N4 grammar · Chapter 17

Imperative form

A direct and forceful command

You'll be able to form and understand strong commands while recognizing when their tone is appropriate.

Illustration of the scene described by Stop there!

Read it first

そこで止とまれ！

soko de tomare!

What do you think this sentence means?

Stop there!

Why it means that

Recognize a strong command

The bare imperative is a forceful command. It occurs in urgent warnings, sports instructions, and some quoted orders. In ordinary requests, choose a softer form appropriate to the relationship.

Formation overview

Group 1 · Godan

う → え

買かう → 買かえ

kau → kae

buy → imperative form

く → け

書かく → 書かけ

kaku → kake

write → imperative form

ぐ → げ

泳およぐ → 泳およげ

oyogu → oyoge

swim → imperative form

す → せ

話はなす → 話はなせ

hanasu → hanase

speak → imperative form

つ → て

待まつ → 待まて

matsu → mate

wait → imperative form

ぬ → ね

死しぬ → 死しね

shinu → shine

die → imperative form

ぶ → べ

遊あそぶ → 遊あそべ

asobu → asobe

play → imperative form

む → め

読よむ → 読よめ

yomu → yome

read → imperative form

る → れ

乗のる → 乗のれ

noru → nore

ride → imperative form

Group 2 · Ichidan

remove る + ろ

食たべる → 食たべろ

taberu → tabero

eat → imperative form

remove る + ろ

見みる → 見みろ

miru → miro

see/watch → imperative form

Group 3 · Irregular

special form

する → しろ

suru → shiro

do → imperative form

special form

来くる → 来こい

kuru → koi

come → imperative form

Group 1 · Godan	う → え	買かう → 買かえ kau → kae	buy → imperative form
	く → け	書かく → 書かけ kaku → kake	write → imperative form
	ぐ → げ	泳およぐ → 泳およげ oyogu → oyoge	swim → imperative form
	す → せ	話はなす → 話はなせ hanasu → hanase	speak → imperative form
	つ → て	待まつ → 待まて matsu → mate	wait → imperative form
	ぬ → ね	死しぬ → 死しね shinu → shine	die → imperative form
	ぶ → べ	遊あそぶ → 遊あそべ asobu → asobe	play → imperative form
	む → め	読よむ → 読よめ yomu → yome	read → imperative form
	る → れ	乗のる → 乗のれ noru → nore	ride → imperative form
Group 2 · Ichidan	remove る + ろ	食たべる → 食たべろ taberu → tabero	eat → imperative form
Group 2 · Ichidan	remove る + ろ	見みる → 見みろ miru → miro	see/watch → imperative form
Group 3 · Irregular	special form	する → しろ suru → shiro	do → imperative form
Group 3 · Irregular	special form	来くる → 来こい kuru → koi	come → imperative form

How it is built

Group 1 · Godan

Change the final u-row kana to the e-row, without adding る. 待まて is a command, while 待まてる expresses ability.

Group 1 dictionary ending→imperative ending

Examples

買かう → 買かえ

kau → kae

buy → imperative form

書かく → 書かけ

kaku → kake

write → imperative form

泳およぐ → 泳およげ

oyogu → oyoge

swim → imperative form

話はなす → 話はなせ

hanasu → hanase

speak → imperative form

待まつ → 待まて

matsu → mate

wait → imperative form

死しぬ → 死しね

shinu → shine

die → imperative form

遊あそぶ → 遊あそべ

asobu → asobe

play → imperative form

読よむ → 読よめ

yomu → yome

read → imperative form

乗のる → 乗のれ

noru → nore

ride → imperative form

How it is built

Group 2 · Ichidan

Remove final る and add ろ. The alternative よ occurs in literary or formal commands.

Group 2 without final る+ろ

Examples

食たべる → 食たべろ

taberu → tabero

eat → imperative form

見みる → 見みろ

miru → miro

see/watch → imperative form

How it is built

Group 3 · Irregular

Memorize する→しろ and 来くる→来こい (こい). せよ is another formal imperative of する.

する / 来る→しろ / 来い

Examples

する → しろ

suru → shiro

do → imperative form

来くる → 来こい

kuru → koi

come → imperative form

How it is built

Form and use Imperative form

する becomes しろ and 来くる becomes 来こい (こい). Group 1 examples include 待まて and 止とまれ. Do not confuse the e-row imperative with a potential ending in る. Dictionary form + な is a prohibition, a separate formation.

Group 1 final u-row → e-row/Group 2 without る+ろ

Examples

そこで止とまれ！

soko de tomare!

Stop right there!

前まえを見みろ！

mae o miro!

Look ahead!

早はやくしろ！

hayaku shiro!

Hurry up!