The imperative is used for direct commands: 'Write!', 'Come!', 'Sit!'. Hebrew has separate imperative forms for masculine, feminine, singular, and plural. In everyday speech, the future tense is often used instead for softer requests.
Three Forms
The imperative has three common forms: masculine singular, feminine singular, and plural (same for both genders in casual speech). It is formed from the future tense by dropping the prefix.
Common Imperatives
| Meaning | M. Singular | F. Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| write! | כְּתֹב (ktov) | כִּתְבִי (kit-VI) | כִּתְבוּ (kit-VU) |
| come! | בּוֹא (bo) | בּוֹאִי (BO-i) | בּוֹאוּ (BO-u) |
| sit! | שֵׁב (shev) | שְׁבִי (shvi) | שְׁבוּ (shvu) |
| go! | לֵךְ (lekh) | לְכִי (le-KHI) | לְכוּ (le-KHU) |
| give! | תֵּן (ten) | תְּנִי (tni) | תְּנוּ (tnu) |
| take! | קַח (kakh) | קְחִי (khi) | קְחוּ (khu) |
| listen! | שְׁמַע (shma) | שִׁמְעִי (shim-I) | שִׁמְעוּ (shim-U) |
| look! | הִסְתַּכֵּל (his-ta-KEL) | הִסְתַּכְּלִי (his-tak-LI) | הִסְתַּכְּלוּ (his-tak-LU) |
Softening Commands
Direct imperatives can sound harsh. To soften a request, Israelis often use:
• בְּבַקָּשָׁה (be-va-ka-SHA) = please - שֵׁב בְּבַקָּשָׁה (sit please)
• Future tense instead - תִּכְתֹּב אֶת זֶה (you'll write this = please write this)
• אֶפְשָׁר (ef-SHAR) = is it possible - אֶפְשָׁר לָשֶׁבֶת? (may I sit?)
In Sentences
Quick Tip
To negate a command ("don't..."), use אַל (al) + future tense, NOT the imperative: אַל תִּכְתֹּב (al tikh-TOV) = don't write.