Sentence types - Zinstypen

Imperative - Bevelende zin

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The most common way of giving orders in Dutch is by using an imperative. By its nature (imperatives issue commands), it always addresses the second person: jij / jullie (informal) or u (formal). In an imperative the >>finite verb always occupies first position:

Doe de deur dicht.
Close the door

INFORMAL IMPERATIVES

Informal imperatives generally address someone you would normally address with jij or jullie . This kind of imperative simply consists of the stem of the verb:

imperative corresponding declarative
Ga zitten.
Sit down.		 Jij gaat zitten.
You sit down.
Steek de weg over.
Cross the road.		 Je steekt de weg over.
You cross the road.
Neem de eerste straat rechts.
Take the first street on your right.		 Je neemt de eerste straat rechts.
You take the first street on your right.

Note that the subject jij/jullie is not used in these informal imperatives.

FORMAL IMPERATIVES

When giving someone an order who you would normally address formally (with u), the imperative may need to be more polite. This is done by using a formal imperative: the conjugated form of the verb for the second person formal followed by u:

imperative corresponding declarative
Gaat u zitten.
Sit down.		 U gaat zitten.
You sit down.
Doet u uw jas uit.
Take off your coat.		 U doet uw jas uit.
You take off your coat.


Note that the word order of the formal imperative is identical to the word order in a >yes/no question.

Some sentences are not declarative in form, but have the >pragmatic effect of an imperative.


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Click here to read about imperative sentences in the Beginners Dutch Grammar

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