The Eight Irregular Affirmative

Commands are for giving orders. They are also for giving advice. In Spanish, the tú command is usually easy. You just use the present tense él/ella form. However, these eight verbs ignore that rule. Instead of being long, they become tiny. They lose their endings entirely. Most of them become one syllable. This makes them very loud and clear. Imagine you are in a rush. You don't want to say hace. You want to say haz. It is quicker for your brain. It is quicker for the listener. These only apply to affirmative commands. That means you are telling someone to DO something. If you tell them NOT to do it, the rule changes. We are focusing on the "Yes" commands today. It’s like a grammar traffic light. Green means go, and these eight are your high-speed lanes.

1. 1There is no complex math here. You just need to memorize these eight. Think of them as a secret club. Here is how they transform from the infinitive:
2. 2Decir (to say/tell) becomes di.
3. 3Hacer (to do/make) becomes haz.
4. 4Ir (to go) becomes ve.
5. 5Poner (to put/set) becomes pon.
6. 6Salir (to leave/go out) becomes sal.
7. 7Ser (to be) becomes sé.
8. 8Tener (to have) becomes ten.
9. 9Venir (to come) becomes ven.
10. 10Many people use a mnemonic to remember them. Try saying this fast: "Vin Diesel has ten weapons." In Spanish, it sounds like: Ven di sal haz ten ve pon sé. It isn't a perfect translation. But the sounds are very similar. It is a classic trick for a reason. Even native speakers had to learn these as kids. If you can say that phrase, you know the list. Just remember that sé needs an accent. This distinguishes it from other words.

Use these when talking to friends. Use them with family members. Use them with people your own age. They are strictly informal. Imagine you are at a job interview. You probably won't use these with the boss. But you will use them with your coworkers later. They are perfect for directions. "Ve a la derecha!" is a classic. Use them when ordering food with friends. "Ten mi taco while I pay." Use them for quick favors. "Hazme un favor, please." They are the language of action. They are great for emergencies too. "Sal de aquí!" is very clear. They give your Spanish a sense of urgency. They also show you are comfortable with the language. Using the long form sounds like a textbook. Using haz sounds like a local. It shows you know the shortcuts.

You must avoid these in formal settings. If you are talking to a judge, stop. If you are talking to an elderly stranger, wait. In those cases, use the usted form. These eight rebels are only for tú. Also, never use these for negative commands. If you want to say "Don't go," do not use ve. You would say no vayas. The irregulars vanish when you add "no." It's like they are shy of the word "no." They only like positive energy. Another time to avoid them is in writing. Unless you are texting a friend, be careful. Business emails usually require more formal language. Think of these as your "weekend verbs." They are for the beach, the bar, and the home. They are not for the boardroom or the court.

The biggest mistake is confusing ve and sé. Ve comes from ir (to go). But sometimes people think it is from ver (to see). To see is actually mira. Another big one is the accent on sé. Without the accent, se is a pronoun. With the accent, sé means "be." For example, "Sé valiente" (Be brave). Don't forget the z in haz. Some people try to write has. But has is from the verb haber. Mixing these up is like wearing socks with sandals. It's not a crime, but people will notice. Also, watch out for di. It is only for decir. Don't use it for dar. The command for dar is da. Finally, don't use these with usted. Saying "Ten" to your grandma might sound a bit rude. It depends on your relationship. But usually, it is too blunt. Just keep the context in mind.

Let’s compare these to regular verbs. Most verbs like hablar become habla. They just drop the s. These eight rebels don't just drop a letter. They get a full haircut. Poner should be pone, right? Wrong. It is pon. It is much shorter. Also, contrast them with negative commands. As mentioned, ven becomes no vengas. The whole structure changes. It's like the verb puts on a disguise. Also, compare them to the vosotros form. In Spain, they say venid or haced. Those are very different. These eight are specifically for the informal singular "you." They are the most common irregulars you will face. Master these, and the rest of the imperative feels easy. It is like beating the first boss in a video game. Everything after feels like a victory lap.