The imperative

After this page you will be able to form the command forms of most verbs for ти and ви, say let’s with forms such as чита́ймо, and say let him or let them with хай and неха́й. You will know which aspect to use in a command, and how to soften a request.

The command form is called the imperative (наказо́вий спо́сіб). Ukrainian has three one-word imperative forms: for ти, for ви, and for we (let’s) [src: pravopys-2026, §116].

The ти form

The imperative is built on the stem of the present tense (for a perfective verb, the stem of its future). A practical way to find it: take the ти form of the present tense and drop the ending -еш, -єш or -иш. Then there are three patterns [src: pravopys-2026, §116].

So the stress of the я form is a useful guide. If it falls on the ending, as in пишу́, the imperative ends in a stressed -и́. If it falls on the stem, as in ся́ду, there is usually no ending. Notice that the consonant change of the present stays in the imperative: писа́ти → пишу́ → пиши́, сказа́ти → скажу́ → скажи́ [src: pravopys-2026, §116].

There are exceptions. Verbs with the stressed prefix ви́- (ви́бери), and verbs whose stem ends in a group of consonants, such as кри́кни and підкре́сли, keep an unstressed -и, and a few verbs are irregular [src: pravopys-2026, §116]. Some common ones:

Imperfective verbs in -ава́ти keep -ава- in the imperative: дава́й, встава́й (get up). Check new verbs in a dictionary: the Горох word-forms page lists the imperative under наказо́вий спо́сіб.

The ви form

The ви form is used for several people, or politely for one person. It is built from the ти form [src: pravopys-2026, §116]:

• if the ти form ends in -и, replace it with -іть: пиши́ → пиші́ть, роби́ → робі́ть;
• otherwise add -те: чита́й → чита́йте, сядь → ся́дьте.

The stress stays on the same syllable as in the ти form.

Let’s: the we form

To suggest doing something together, Ukrainian has a one-word we form. It is built like the ви form, with -імо instead of -іть, or -мо instead of -те [src: pravopys-2026, §116].

The orthography also gives a shorter form in -ім next to -імо, for example пиші́м [src: pravopys-2026, §116]. This page uses the full form.

Давай, давайте

In conversation you will also hear дава́й or дава́йте + the we form of the future: Дава́й погра́ємо. (Let’s play.) The academic dictionary records this as colloquial [src: goroh-dictionary]. Usage guides recommend the one-word imperative instead: ході́мо rather than дава́йте пі́демо, чита́ймо rather than дава́йте чита́ти [src: goroh-usage]. Learn to understand дава́й, but use the one-word form yourself. Дава́йте in its own meaning, “give”, is fine: Дава́йте ва́ші зо́шити. (Hand in your exercise books.) [src: goroh-usage]

Let him, let them: хай and нехай

For he, she, it and they there is no one-word imperative. Use хай or неха́й (they mean the same) with the present tense of an imperfective verb, or the future of a perfective verb [src: goroh-dictionary].

Aspect in commands

Both imperfective and perfective verbs have an imperative. The choice follows the ideas on the aspect page. As tendencies:

• One specific request: usually perfective. You want one action done, with a result.
• Invitations, offers and general instructions: often imperfective. Захо́дьте! (Come in!) and Сіда́йте! (Have a seat!) are the usual friendly invitations.
• Repeated actions: imperfective, as in other tenses.

Negative commands

With не, the difference is clearer (see also negation):

• не + imperfective tells someone not to do something: a prohibition or advice.
• не + perfective is mostly a warning against something that might happen by accident: don’t forget, don’t fall.

When you are unsure, use the imperfective after не.

Making a request polite

A bare imperative can sound abrupt. With будь ла́ска (please) it is an ordinary polite request. Будь ла́ска does not change for ти or ви. Politeness has many everyday examples.

For a softer request, ask a question instead of giving a command. Чи не могли́ б ви + infinitive (Could you…?) uses the conditional.

Common mistakes and limits