Informal Imperatives:

In Hindi, the verb changes based on the level of respect or intimacy. For informal situations, we have two main players: Tu (tu) and Tum (tum).

• Tu (tu): The "Intimate" or "Very Informal" level. Used for God (yes, really), very close friends, small children, pets, or... when you want to be extremely rude.
• Tum (tum): The "Standard Informal" level. Used for friends, colleagues of the same age, younger family members, and generally casual interactions.

Think of Tu as a raw, unfiltered connection (for better or worse) and Tum as a friendly high-five. Most of the time, as a learner, you'll want to stick to Tum to be safe. Tu is the danger zone—use it wrong, and you might offend someone's grandmother.

1. 1Making these commands is surprisingly easy. You just need the verb root. The root is what's left when you take na off the infinitive (e.g., bolna → bol).
2. 2For Tu (The Raw Root):
3. 3Just use the verb root. That's it. No endings.
4. 4bolna (to speak) → bol (Speak!)
5. 5aana (to come) → aa (Come!)
6. 6For Tum ( The 'O' Ending):
7. 7Take the root and add the sound -o.
8. 8bol + o → bolo (Speak!)
9. 9sun + o → suno (Listen!)
10. 10aa + o → aao (Come!)
11. 11The Four Irregulars (Memorize These!):
12. 12Of course, there are exceptions. These four verbs don't follow the nice rules above for Tum.
13. 13dena (to give) → tu de / tum do
14. 14lena (to take) → tu le / tum lo
15. 15peena (to drink) → tu pee / tum piyo
16. 16karna (to do) → tu kar / tum karo

Context is king here. You aren't just conjugating verbs; you're reading the room.

• Use Tu (tu) when:
• Praying to God (Hey Bhagwan, madad kar - Oh God, help me).
• Scolding a naughty child.
• Talking to your cat or dog.
• You are in a rap battle or a road rage incident (not recommended for beginners!).

• Use Tum (tum) when:
• Asking a friend to pass the salt.
• Telling a rickshaw driver where to stop (yahan roko).
• Chatting with younger cousins.
• Ordering food at a casual dhabba or cafe.

Avoid these like the plague in formal settings. If you use Tu or Tum with:

• Your boss
• An elder (uncle, aunty, grandparent)
• A police officer
• A stranger in a formal setting

...you will sound uneducated or disrespectful. For them, we use the Aap form (which we aren't covering today, but just know it exists!). Think of Tum as "casual Friday" jeans. You wouldn't wear them to a wedding.

• Using Tu too early: Learners often think Tu is just "singular you." It's not. It carries emotional weight. Don't Tu your waiter.
• The Mat vs. Nahi trap: To make a negative command (Don't do X), use mat before the verb, not nahi.
• Correct: wahan mat jao (Don't go there).
• Wrong: wahan nahi jao (Sounds weird, like "There no go").
• Forgetting the Irregulars: Saying de-o instead of do is a classic rookie error. It screams "I learned this from a textbook yesterday."

• English: "Sit down." (Context implies politeness).
• Hindi: Baith (Order/Rude) vs. Baitho (Casual/Friendly) vs. Baithiye (Polite/Respectful).

In English, we add "please" to soften things. In Hindi, the grammar itself does the softening. You can add kripya (please), but honestly, nobody uses it in casual speech. The o ending in baitho is polite enough for friends.

Q: Can I mix Tu and Tum?

No. If you start with Tum, stay with Tum. Switching mid-sentence sounds schizophrenic.

Q: Is chalo an imperative?

Yes! It comes from chalna (to move/walk). Chalo means "Let's go" or "Move it" depending on tone.

Q: What if I don't know which one to use?

When in doubt, default to Tum. It's the safest bet for casual interactions without risking the rudeness of Tu.