Commands & Requests
祈使句
Give commands and make polite requests
Imperatives range from polite requests (请) to urgent commands (快!) to prohibitions (别!). Tone and context determine how they're received.
请 makes anything polite. 别 means "don't." 吧 softens a suggestion. These three words are your politeness toolkit!
Lesson Targets
Podcast
Podcast: Commands & Requests (祈使句)
Listen to Jason & Amy explain the 祈使句 pattern
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Understanding 祈使句
Sometimes you need to tell people what to do — nicely or urgently! Chinese imperatives range from super polite (请进, please come in) to firm prohibitions (别说了, stop talking). The secret weapon is knowing when to add 请 for politeness, 别 for "don't," and 吧 for gentle suggestions. Master these and you can navigate any social situation from a formal dinner to a playground. Think of it like a volume knob for politeness: 请 turns it way up, 吧 keeps it mellow, no softener is neutral, and 别 is a firm "no." Chinese imperatives are surprisingly versatile once you get the hang of these markers.
Key Points
- Polite request with 请: 请进！(Qǐng jìn!) — Please come in!
- Negative command with 别: 别说了！(Bié shuō le!) — Stop talking!
- Soft suggestion with 吧: 我们走吧。(Wǒmen zǒu ba.) — Let's go.
- Urgent command (no softener): 快跑！(Kuài pǎo!) — Run! / 站住！(Zhàn zhù!) — Stop!
- Combine for extra politeness: 请坐吧。(Qǐng zuò ba.) — Please, have a seat.
- Use 不要 as a more formal alternative to 别: 不要乱扔垃圾。(Bùyào luàn rēng lājī.) — Don't litter.
- Add 一下 to soften a request: 等一下。(Děng yīxià.) — Wait a moment. Much softer than bare 等！
- Repeating the verb also softens: 想想 (think about it), 看看 (take a look), 试试 (give it a try).
In Chinese culture, offering food is a form of love. You'll often hear imperative phrases at the dinner table: 多吃点！(Eat more!), 尝尝这个！(Try this!). These commands are expressions of warmth, not bossiness!
Key Vocabulary
Example Sentences
请进！
Please come in!
Polite request with 请
别说了！
Stop talking!
Negative command with 别
请坐。
Please sit down.
Classic polite invitation
别走！
Don't go!
Negative command — urgent
我们吃饭吧。
Let's eat.
Suggestion with 吧
别担心，慢慢来。
Don't worry, take your time.
Reassuring negative command
请把手机关掉。
Please turn off your phone.
Polite request — at a meeting or movie theater
医生说别吃太辣的东西。
The doctor said don't eat anything too spicy.
Relaying a prohibition — doctor's orders
你试试这件衣服吧。
Try on this outfit.
Softened suggestion with verb reduplication + 吧 — shopping
快点儿！要迟到了！
Hurry up! We're going to be late!
Urgent command — rushing to work/school
Common Mistakes
For negative commands ("don't do X"), use 别, not 不. 别 is the imperative negative.
请 (polite) and 别 (prohibition) together sounds contradictory. Either make it a direct 别 command or rephrase politely with 请.
吧 already ends the sentence as a softening particle. Don't add 了 after 吧.
Practice Exercises
Tips & Tricks
请 is your best friend in formal situations — it instantly makes any command polite.
别 + verb is the only way to say "don't" as a command. Don't use 不 for imperatives!
Add 吧 to soften any suggestion and sound friendly: 走吧, 吃吧, 休息吧.
Want to be extra gentle? Reduplicate the verb: 看看 (take a look), 想想 (think about it), 试试 (give it a try). The repetition makes it feel casual and non-pushy.
The politeness scale from most casual to most formal: Verb alone (走！) → Verb + 吧 (走吧) → 请 + Verb (请走) → 请 + Verb + 吧 (请走吧). Choose your level based on the situation!
Homework
Write five polite requests using 请, three prohibitions using 别, and two suggestions using 吧. Imagine you're hosting a friend at your home: 请进, 请坐, 别客气, 吃吧!