The imperative is the form of the verb used when you are asking/telling someone to do something. As such, it is often referred to as the command form. In English, we often add a "please" to the command form to turn it into a request. In Russian, the presence or absence of пожалуйста does not determine the difference between a command and a request. That function is performed by something called aspect (imperfective and perfective verbs). More about this later.
Here are the most basic rules for forming the imperative:
Start with the они form of the verb. Completely remove that ending:
принесут | принес- |
покажут | покаж- |
скажут | скаж- |
платят | плат- |
идут | ид- |
поздравят | поздрав- |
работают | работа- |
читают | чита- |
and add -и or -ь (if what is left ends in a consonant):
принесите
покажите
скажите
платите
идите
будьте
поздравьте
or add -й (if what is left ends in a vowel):
работайте
читайте
Of course, you will find exceptions to this rule, so your best bet will be to simply memorize those imperative forms which you will hear or use most often.
As Russian makes a distinction between the informal ты and the formal/plural вы, you will need to make that distinction with the imperative forms. The forms shown above are for вы. То make the ты forms, simply drop the ending -те:
принеси
покажи
скажи
будь
работай, etc.
A command/request NOT to do something is made by simply adding не in front of the imperative. Negative commands are usually formed using imperfective verbs. The imperatives работай and читай are examples of these.
He работай (-те)
He читай (-те)
Go back through Lessons 1-6 and find imperative forms. Take note of when and how they are used; explain what they mean. With your instructor's help try to use them yourself.