Lesson 30 of 40 · win the Dog Whisperer badge
Vieni qui, Luna! — l'imperativo
The imperative: giving instructions and commands
Welcome to Luna's obedience school. Sit! Come! Don't eat that! Your commands are about to get a very good workout.
🎯 By the end you can…
- Give informal commands to a friend or a dog
- Give polite commands to an adult
- Give a negative command correctly
🎬 Listen to the scene
Tap a line to hear it, then say it back louder than Luna barks.
Luna, come here! Sit!
Don't touch that shoe!
Ma'am, excuse me, please go ahead and open the door.
Thanks! And you, Adam, close the window, it's cold.
🔑 Informal imperative (tu)
| -are (parlare) | -ere (prendere) | -ire (aprire) |
|---|---|---|
| Parla! | Prendi! | Apri! |
| Non parlare! | Non prendere! | Non aprire! |
Adam's tip: The negative tu command always uses the infinitive: Non correre! not Non corri!
🧩 Polite imperative (Lei)
- Parli! Prenda! Apra! — swap the vowel: -are → -i, -ere/-ire → -a
- Common irregulars: vieni! (tu) / venga! (Lei) · vai! (tu) / vada! (Lei)
🤯 Wow fact
The negative command to a friend always uses the infinitive — 'Non correre!' not 'Non corri!' — Italian's one weird little exception.
🗣️ Say it fast, say it silly
Vieni, siediti, non correre, apri la porta!
Three times in a row without tripping = you win.
🧠 Puzzle time
Answer in your head first, then tap to check. 0 of 6 checked
Give the tu command.
Give the polite Lei command.
😂 Barzelletta — Luna's joke
Perché Luna non ascolta mai i comandi?
🚀 Your mission today
Give five commands out loud today — to a pet, a sibling, or a very patient teddy bear.
🎲 Play it with someone
Dog trainer school
Each student gives Luna (an imaginary dog, or a puppet) five commands using the informal imperative: Siediti! Vieni! Non abbaiare!
Polite vs bossy
In pairs, give the same instruction twice: once informally to a friend, once politely to a stranger, and compare the forms.
For teachers & grown-ups
Good moment to review when tu vs Lei is appropriate, from lesson 2's essere work.
🧪 End-of-lesson quiz
Eight quick questions. Get 6 right to win the Dog Whisperer badge.
This lesson belongs to Unit 11 — Tomorrow and maybe. Pass every quiz in the unit — and know 1600 words — to be promoted to the next level.
💪 Keep the streak going
- Flashcards, Set 36 — action verbs
- Give five commands to a pet, sibling or teddy bear in Italian
Word sets for this lesson
