ABSTRACT
Themainpointsdiscussedinthischapterare: •Thetu,vos,vosotrosjasandusted(es)imperative(Sections17.2.2-5) •Theimperativeofestar(Section17.2.6) •Howtoformnegativeimperatives(nolohagas,etc.)(Section17.3) •Thepositionofpronounswiththeimperative(Section17.4) •First-personpluralimperative('let'sgo','let'ssitdown',etc.)(Section17.5) •Third-personimperatives('lethercomein','letthemgo',etc.)(Section
17.6) •Impersonalimperatives(vease,escr{base,etc.)(Section17.8) •Useoftheinfinitiveasanimperative(empujar,tirar,etc.)(Section17.9) •Presenttenseusedasanimperative(Section17.10) •Makingimperativesmoremellow(Section17.11)
I7.IGeneralremarks Theimperativeisusedtogiveordersortomakerequests.AsinEnglish,asimple imperative,e.g.hazlo'doit',cansoundrudeorabrupt,sointonationandattitude areimportant.InSpanishafriendlymannercountsformuchmorethantheconstantrepetitionofporfavororhagaelfavor'please',which,likegracias, English-speakersconstantlyover-use.InSpain,porfavorisstrictlyspeakingused whenaskingafavo(u)r,andsincebarmen,waitersorsalespersonsaresimply doingtheirjob,porfavorisnotreallynecessary.However,porfavorseemsnowadaystobeheardmoreoftenthanbefore,especiallyinMexico,whereeveryday languageisverypolite.
