NOSOTROS commands are more frequently used to suggest that others do some activity with you rather than to command: let's do something or let's not do something. We already learned a way to say let's do something by using VAMOS A + infinitive verb:
¡Vamos a caminar! Let's go to walk! ¡Vamos a comer! Let's go to eat! ¡Vamos a escribir! Let's go to write!
It is important to use exclamation marks to indicate that the construction VAMOS A + Infinitive is used as a NOSOTROS command. Otherwise, it can have another meaning (in the present tense and near future): Nosotros vamos a caminar We go to walk or we will go to walk Nosotros vamos a comer We go to eat or we will go to eat Nosotros vamos a escribir We go to write orwe will go to write
Now, we will learn how NOSOTROS command is formed by using the NOSOTROS form of the present subjunctive.
*NOTICE THE COLOR CODE OF THE VERB ENDINGS: -emos: NOSOTROS command of -AR verbs -amos: NOSOTROS command of -ER and -IR verbs
COMMAND FORMS OF -AR VERBS Drop the -ar ending of the infinitive form of the verb, and add -emos
Negative NOSOTROS No comamos las frutas No escribamos un poema
NOSOTROS COMMAND OF VERBS ENDING IN -CAR, -GAR AND -ZAR Verbs ending in -car, -gar, and -zar require spelling changes in order to keep the pronunciation. -CAR: C changes to QU -GAR: G changes to GU -ZAR: Z changes to C
NOSOTROS COMMAND OF IRREGULAR YO FORMS If the verb has an irregular YO form in the present tense it also appears in the NOSOTROS command. Verbs with YO forms that end in -go or -zco in the present tense use the same irregular ending in the present subjunctive. Therefore, it is the same in the NOSOTROS command.
Irreg. YO form-present tense Pongo (I put) Salgo (I leave) Hago (I do/make) Traigo (I bring) Digo (I say) Caigo (I fall) Oigo (I hear) Vengo (I come) Tengo (I have) Conozco (I know) Traduzco (I translate) Ofrezco (I offer) Pertenezco (I belong)
Examples: Affirmative NOSOTROS Obedezcamos las reglas ¡Digamos la verdad!
Negative NOSOTROS No desobedezcamos las reglas No digamos mentiras
NOSOTROS COMMAND OF STEM-CHANGING VERBS As we learned at the beginning of this lesson, NOSOTROS command is formed by using the nosotros form of the present subjunctive. Therefore, NOSOTROS command follows the same rule as the nosotros form in the present subjunctive: -ar and -er stem-changing verbs do not have stem changes in the NOSOTROS form. -ir stem-changing verbs in the present subjunctive have stem changes of e → i, or o → u in the NOSOTROS form.
NOSOTROS command Comamos las frutas (let's eat the fruits) Cerremos la puerta (let's close the door) Hagamos los pasteles (let's make the cakes) Pongamos el mantel (let's put the tablecloth)
NOSOTROS command + i.o.p Expliquémosle el problema Contestémosles la pregunta
NOSOTROS command + reflex. pronoun *Cepillémonos los dientes *Peinémonos el cabello
