The imperative mood is a helpful tool for giving instructions, whether for exams, follow-up explanations, or prescriptions, giving directions, or simply informing your patient what you want him or her to do.
Let’s take a look at the “Usted” form in the chart below. When talking to your patients I will recommend in using the “Usted” form.
To make an usted command, use the él/ella/usted form of the present simple subjunctive. To review, it takes three steps to form the subjunctive:
Conjugate the verb in the yo form. (Hablar becomes hablo, tener becomes tengo, decir becomes digo.)
Remove the –o. (Habl-, teng-, dig-)
You didn’t think I was going to leave you hanging without the other endings, did you? I only suggested when talking to the patients to use the “usted form”
AR: -e, -es, -e, -emos -éis, -en
ER: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an
IR: -a, -as, -a, -amos, -áis, -an
In English the same form of the verb is used in the present tense as is used in the command form.
Present Tense Command Tense
I take pills everyday Take your pills.
Yo tomo las pastillas cada día. Tome las pastillas.
Here are some common “-AR” verbs that are used in the medical field.
’
’
To tell someone to not do something.use the following sentences structure
No + verbo (presente del subjuntivo) + complemento.
"Don't" + verb (present subjunctive) + complement.
And here are some common “ER and IR” verbs
To tell someone to not do something.
No + verbo (presente del subjuntivo) + complemento.
"Don't" + verb (present subjunctive) + complement.
In Spanish, for regular verbs, the last letter is different in the present tense yo form and in the command form. (There are a few other letter changes in irregular verbs and the g-changing verbs in the yo form that you will see. Here is the formation of conjugating irregular verbs.
Note: With these verbs, as with regular verbs, add -e, -en to -ar verbs and add -a, -an to -er and -ir verbs.
To make a command with an irregular verb:
Here is a list of typical commands or structures that you will use frequently. We highly suggest memorizing the ones in the left-hand column that you use repeatedly. You may find the ones in the right-hand column (Favor de + infinitive—the shortcut!) to be easier to use, particularly if you draw a blank or if you only refer to them from time to time. Memorize the ones that you handle with the most ease. But, at least now, you can understand how they are formed and can deduce how to do so with other verbs not included here.
Let’s use some of the following vocabulary and use it to give a physical exam!
