Russian Imperative: How to Give Instructions and Requests

1. How to form the imperative

Find the они́ form of the present (or perfective future), remove -ют / -ут / -ят / -ат, then add the ending. The stress usually matches the я form.

Infinitive → command	Meaning	In use
чита́ть → чита́йchi-TAI	read
говори́ть → говори́ga-va-REE	speak
писа́ть → пиши́pi-SHI	write
ждать → ждиzhdee	wait
гото́вить → гото́вьga-TOF’	cook, prepare
забы́ть → забу́дьza-BUT’	forget
пить → пейpyei	drink
дава́ть → дава́йda-VAI	give, let’s

2. Polite and plural: -те

Add -те to speak to someone you call вы, or to more than one person. In reflexive verbs -ся becomes -сь after a vowel: сади́сь → сади́тесь.

ты → выPolite, in a real situation

3. Irregular imperatives

These eight everyday verbs have imperatives you should learn as words. The “Comes from” column shows where each form is built from, which makes them easier to remember.

Verb	Comes from	To ты	To вы	In use
естьto eat	old stem е-
Why: Built from the old stem е-, not from едя́т.
датьto give	stem да-
Why: A short, fixed form. Same for дава́ть: дава́й.
е́хатьto go (by transport)	поезжа́ть
Why: Borrowed from another verb (поезжа́ть). е́дь is heard but sounds rough.
лечьto lie down	future ля́гу
Why: From the stem ляг-, which also gives the future ля́гу.
бытьto be	future бу́ду
Why: From the future бу́ду. Бу́дьте здоро́вы! means “Bless you!”
питьto drink	stem пь- → пей
Why: The и becomes е: пить → пей. Same with бить → бей.
встава́тьto get up	keeps -ва-
Why: -авать verbs keep -ва- in the imperative: дава́й, узнава́й.
смотре́тьto look	они смо́трят
Why: Formed normally from смо́трят, but the stress moves to the end: смотри́.

4. Which aspect to use in commands

Perfective asks for one specific result. Imperfective invites someone to start, continue, or do something in general. With не, almost always use the imperfective.

5. “Let’s …” and “let him …”

To suggest doing something together, start with дава́й (to one friend) or дава́йте (to several people, or politely), then the мы form of a perfective verb. To let someone else do it, use пусть.

дава́й + мы da-VAI let’s (to a friend) дава́й пойдём (da-VAI pai-DYOM, let’s go) · дава́й посмо́трим (da-VAI pa-SMOT-rim, let’s see)

дава́йте + мы da-VAI-tye let’s (polite or plural) Used with colleagues, strangers or groups.

дава́й + infinitive da-VAI let’s (do it in general) With an imperfective infinitive: дава́й чита́ть (da-VAI chi-TAT’), “let’s start reading”.

пусть + verb pust’ let him / her / them Use the он or они form: пусть он позвони́т (pust’ on pa-zva-NEET, let him call).

Real conversations: a suggestion and a reply

Patternдава́й + мы formДава́й alone also means “OK, let’s do it”.

Patternдава́йте + мы formдава́йте for a group; the reply uses an imperfective command, “go ahead”.

Patternпойдём (short “let’s go”)Пойдём on its own is the short way to say “let’s go”.

Patternдава́й не бу́дем + infinitive“Let’s not…” = дава́й не будем + imperfective infinitive.

Patternпусть + он formпусть + the он form of the verb.

6. Softening a request

A bare command can sound abrupt. Russians add пожа́луйста, or use a question with “can you”.

In a café the third line is normal, not cold. The last line uses the conditional (не могли бы вы, “couldn’t you”) and suits a favour or a formal setting.

7. Make it a command

Choose the imperative that fits.

“Read (to a friend)!”

“Come in (to a stranger)!”

“Write to me!”

“Let’s go to the cinema!”

“Don’t open the door!”

“Eat!”

“Please sit down (polite).”

“Let him call.”

The Russian imperative: commands, requests and invitations