Commands, Orders, Instructions, Suggestions
In commands, orders, instructions and suggestions (the imperative mode), very much like in English, there is no subject, and these sentences usually start with the verb.
The verb stem is the imperative's singular - the plural adds a T, but is not often used.
| working verb | (time) | (place) | (object) | (complement) | (other verbs) |
|---|
|
|
Zwijg!
2 |
Be silent! (Don't speak! Shut up!) |
| Haal diep adem
2
| Take a deep breath (deep breaths) |
| Verroer je niet!
| Don't move ('yourself')! Freeze! |
| Waag 't niet!
2
3
4
5
6
7
|
Don't you dare! (Don't do that risky or insulting thing) |
| Sla niet zo'n toon aan!
2
|
Don't speak like that! Tone it down! |
| Neem de tweede weg rechts
|
Take the second road to the right |
| Zorg dat je op tijd bent
|
Take care [that you are] to be in time |
| Maak 't niet te laat
2
|
Don't make it [too] late, take care to be back or finish in time |
| Maak 't niet te moeilijk
|
Don't make it too difficult |
| Probeer 't eenvoudig te houden
2
|
Try to keep it simple |
| Maak er geen gewoonte van
2
3
4
|
Don't make it a habit |
| Besteed er geen geld aan!
2
3
|
Don't spend money on it! |
| Schrijf je naam op een papiertje
|
Write down your name on a piece of paper |
| Vergeet je telefoonnummer niet
|
Don't forget (to write down) your phone number |
| Ga direct naar huis!
2 |
Go home immediately! |
| Ga meteen je huiswerk maken
|
Do your homework right away |
| Kijk vooruit, niet achteruit
|
Look forward, not backward |
| Denk eraan
dat de zomertijd dit weekend
ingaat
|
Keep in mind, don't forget that the [summer time] daylight saving time starts this weekend |
| Laat me!
|
[Let me!] - Let me do my own thing, leave me alone, don't interfere with me |
| Laat maar
|
Let it be, don't bother (sometimes said when the speaker doesn't feel like an argument or further explanation) |
| Laat de boel de boel
|
[Let the things be the things] - Leave things as they are (for a moment) - take a break |
| Laat maar zitten
2
3 |
[Let it sit] - It's OK, don't bother (usually said when you pay, offering the change as a tip, 'Keep the change') |
| Laat me niet lachen
2 |
Don't make me laugh (What you're suggesting is ridiculous) |
| Laat je thee niet koud worden
2
3 |
Don't let your tea get cold |
| Laat 't twintig minuten koken
2
3 |
Let it boil for 20 minutes |
| Moet je niet doen!
|
[Don't do that!] Not a good idea to do that. |
| Doe dat nou niet!
2
3
4
|
Don't do that! (annoyed) |
| Doe geen domme dingen
2
3
|
[Do no stupid things] Don't do anything stupid |
| Moet kunnen!
2 |
It should be possible, it ought to be allowed. |
| Hou er onmiddelijk mee op!
2
|
Stop that right away! |
| Doe alsjeblieft de deur dicht!
2 |
Please close the door! |
| Geef 't goede voorbeeld
|
[Give] Set the right example |
| Probeer niet te vloeken
2
| Try not to curse |
| Probeer wakker te blijven
|
Try to stay awake |
| Zeg nooit nooit
2
3
|
Never say never |
| Ga je gang
2
|
Go ahead, do it your way (but I would do it differently) |
| Ga zo voort!
2
|
[Go on like that] - Carry on! |
| Zeg het voort
2 |
[Say it forth] - Pass it on (a message) |
| Zegt het voort
2 |
Pass it on (a message) - addressing a crowd |
| Gaat heen en vermenigvuldigt U
2
|
Go forth and multiply |
- 3. Subject - Verb - Complement - 4. Adjectives, Adverbs and Nouns
5A. Past Participles and Verb Infinitives at the End of the Line
5B. Past Participles, Infinitives, and the use of 'te'
6A. Questions - 6B. Query Words
7. Negative Statements - nee, niet, geen - and: ja, wel
Gij zult niet stelen
'Thou shalt not steal'