LESSON V

Table of imperative forms. — Observations on the imperative. — Position of object pronouns. — Irregular verbs faire, satisfaire

16. Table of imperative forms. — The following is a complete table of the imperative forms of the three regular conjugations :

que je porte porte1

qu'il porte portons portez

qu'ils portent

que je finisse finis qu'il finisse finissons finissez qu'ils finissent

que je vende vends

qu'il vende

vendons vendez

qu'ils vendent

let me carry, etc.2

carry, etc.

let him carry, etc.

let us carry, etc.

carry, etc.

let them carry, etc.

1 The tu imperative form takes -s before en or y : portes-en, carry some.

2 If let means allow or permit, it is to be translated by laisser or permettre :

Let her come, i.e., allow her to come. Laissez-la venir. Let him go, i.e., permit him to go. Permettez qu'il aille.

Furthermore, the use of the first person singular of the imperative is very rare. A form of laisser or permettre would generally be used to express que je porte, que je finisse, etc., as laissez-moi porter, or permettez que je porte, etc.