a rural Russian town landscape with a calm river and a distant church

Activities: How to form and use the imperative mood in Russian?

By: Anna Classing
Associated Articles

These activities are part of our Russian Grammar series. The skills we are practicing here are covered in our article:

Need help typing in Russian?
If you don't have your keyboard set up to type in Russian, we recommend this free online keyboard. However, if you're studying Russian long-term, it's a good idea to set up a keyboard on your phone, computer, or tablet.

Activity 1: Complete the texts

Complete the short texts below by using the “you” imperatives of the verbs in the box.

Part 1: A teacher talks to some students

приготовить

prigaTOvit

to get (something) ready

посмотреть

pasmaTRYET

to look

обратить

abraTEET

to focus, to direct

начинать

nachiNAT

to begin

садиться

saDEEtsa

to sit down

Здравствуйте! , пожалуйста! карандаши и бумагу. Сегодня мы будем учиться рисовать натюрморт. на эту вазу с фруктами. внимание на свет и тень. !

Translation: Hello! _______________, please! _________________ pencils and paper. Today we are going to learn how to draw still life. ______________ at this bowl of fruit. _____________ (your) attention to light and shade. ______________!

Completed Translation: Hello! Sit down, please! Get your pencils and paper ready. Today we are going to learn how to draw still life. Look at this bowl with fruits. Direct (your) attention to light and shade. Begin!

Part 2: A doctor talks to a patient

стараться

staRAtsa

to try

принимать

priniMAT

to take (meds)

пить

peet

to drink

Вот рецепт, по две таблетки три раза в день, больше воды и избегать стресса и тяжелых физических нагрузок.

Translation: Here is the prescription, ________ two pills three times a day, _____________more water, and _____________to avoid stress and strenuous physical activity.

Completed Translation: Here is the prescription, take two pills three times a day, drink more water, and try to avoid stress and strenuous physical activity.

Part 3: A friend to a friend

проходить

prakhaDEET

to come in

нарезать

naRYEzat

to cut

помыть

paMYT

to wash

помочь

paMOCH

to help

Привет! ! Сейчас будем пить чай. мне, пожалуйста, фрукты и торт.

Translation: Hi! _________________! We are going to have some tea now. _____________ me, please, ____________the fruit and ___________the cake.

Completed Translation: Hi! Come in! We are going to have some tea now. Help me, please, wash the fruit and cut the cake.

Part 4: A mother talks to her child

выходить

vykhaDEET

to go out

надевать

nadiVAT

to put on

ждать

zhdat

to wait

брать

brat

to take

кепку и сандалии, велосипед, на улицу и меня там!

Translation: _____________ your hat and sandals, ___________ your bicycle, ____________ to the street and ____________ for me there!

Completed Translation: Put on your hat and sandals, take your bicycle, go out to the street and wait for me there!

Activity 2: “We” imperatives

Look at the pictures. What do you think one of the characters in each picture might suggest doing? Use “we” imperative and your own ideas to make your sentences.

Example
A grandfather is holding his granddaughter, a girl who is about 3-4 years old.

Дедушка, давай играть в прятки!

DYEdooshka daVAY iGRAT f PRYATki

Grandpa, let’s play hide-and-seek!

  • A woman is getting ready to have her hair cut at the salon. She and her stylist are looking at each other in the mirror.

    Sample answer: Давайте сменим цвет волос!(Let’s change your hair color!)

  • A group of people around a table are performing a toast over a table full of food.

    Sample answer: Давайте есть!(Let’s eat!)

  • Two blond girls, about ten years old, are whispering to each other in a garden.

    Sample answer: Давай попросим ещё мороженого.(Let’s ask for more ice cream.)

  • A photo of a group of people sitting around a conference table with their laptops, listening to a presentation.

    Sample answer: Давайте посмотрим на график продаж.(Let’s look at the sales diagram.)

  • A man and woman standing on a walking path by the ocean. He is holding a map, looking at something that she is pointing to in the distance.

    Sample answer: Давай поставим палатку вон там.(Let’s put up the tent over there.)

  • A photo of two baby raccoons peering around the trunk of a tree.

    Sample answer: Давай попросим дать нам кусочек.(Let’s ask them to give us a piece.)

Activity 3: Get someone else to do it!

Reply to the commands below by saying that someone else (given in brackets) should do it instead. Use the “he/she/it/they” imperative.

Example:

Отвези нас в аэропорт в субботу, пожалуйста. (Тамара)

Could you please take us to the airport on Saturday? (Tamara)

Пусть Тамара отвезёт!

Have Tamara take you!

Now give it a try yourself!

  • Погуляй с собакой, пожалуйста! (папа)

    Walk the dog, please! (dad)

  • Выбирайте цвет стен! (дети)

    Choose the color for the walls. (children)

  • Платите налоги! (богатые)

    Pay your taxes! (the rich)

  • Не обзывайся! (он сам)

    Don’t call (him) names! (he himself)

  • Помоги детям cделать домашнее задание! (сами)

    Help the kids do their homework! (themselves)

To embark on your next language adventure, join Mango on social!

Ready to take the next step?

The Mango Languages learning platform is designed to get you speaking like a local quickly and easily.

Mango app open on multiple devices
Log InSign Up