You need the imperative the moment you give directions, follow a recipe, or tell the dog to sit. Good news: in Dutch it is the easiest form there is, just the verb stem, with a few little words to keep it friendly.
The rule: use the stem
The imperative is simply the stem (the same bare form as ik), with no ending:
| Verb | Imperative |
|---|---|
| komen | kom (come) |
| gaan | ga (go) |
| kijken | kijk (look) |
| nemen | neem (take) |
| luisteren | luister (listen) |
And it is the same for one person or many, so Kom! works whether you address a friend or a crowd. As Dutch grammar references note, this makes the imperative the simplest verb form in the language.
For separable verbs, the prefix flies to the end: opletten to Let op! (pay attention), opschieten to Schiet op! (hurry up).
The everyday fixed ones
You will meet these constantly, on signs and in speech:
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| Let op! | Watch out / Note |
| Pas op! | Be careful |
| Kijk uit! | Look out |
| Wacht! | Wait |
| Doe maar. | Go ahead. |
| Ga zitten. | Sit down. |
| Luister. | Listen. |
Softening it: the little words
A bare command can sound blunt, so the Dutch soften it with the little flavour words:
- Kom even. (Come for a sec.)
- Ga maar zitten. (Do sit down, maar gives permission.)
- Wacht eens. (Hang on.)
- Doe maar rustig. (Take it easy.)
These turn an order into a friendly nudge. Onze Taal notes that maar and even are the usual politeness softeners with the imperative, and the Taalunie advice service covers the formal u-form variant.
Extra-polite: u and kunt u
For formal politeness you have two moves:
- The u-form with -t: Komt u binnen. (Do come in.), Gaat u zitten. (Please take a seat.) This is common in shops and formal settings.
- Rephrase as a question with a modal verb: Kunt u dat herhalen? (Could you repeat that?), softer than Herhaal dat.
Choosing between a plain imperative and the polite forms follows the same je-or-u register instinct as everything else.
Where you’ll use it
- Directions: Ga rechtdoor, sla linksaf, see asking for directions.
- Recipes: Snijd de ui, bak het, voeg toe, see reading a Dutch recipe.
- Signs and warnings: Niet roken, Deur sluiten, Let op.
Where it connects
The imperative builds on present-tense conjugation (the stem) and separable verbs, and it powers directions and recipe steps.
The bottom line
The Dutch imperative is just the stem: kom, ga, kijk, neem, the same for one or many. Separable prefixes go to the end (let op, schiet op). Soften a command with maar or even (ga maar zitten), or go formal with Komt u… or Kunt u…?. Learn the fixed ones like let op and pas op, and you can give directions, follow recipes, and read signs with ease.
Learn it in five minutes a day
Learn Dutch For Expats is an app, available on the App Store, that drills the imperative for instructions and directions, kom, ga, let op, doe maar, plus the little words that keep it friendly, in five-minute situation-based lessons, so you can give and follow steps with confidence.
Frequently asked questions
How do you form the imperative in Dutch?
Use the verb stem, the same bare form as ik: komen to kom (come), gaan to ga (go), kijken to kijk (look), nemen to neem (take). It is the same whether you are talking to one person or several, so kom works for both. For separable verbs the prefix goes to the end: opletten to let op (pay attention), opschieten to schiet op (hurry up).
Is the Dutch imperative rude?
On its own a bare command can sound blunt, so the Dutch usually soften it with little words: doe maar (go ahead), kom even (come for a sec), wacht eens, ga maar zitten (do sit down). For real politeness you can use the u-form with -t (Komt u binnen, do come in) or rephrase as a question with kunt u (Kunt u dat herhalen?). With friends a plain imperative plus maar or even is friendly and normal.
What are common Dutch commands and instructions?
Everyday ones include let op and pas op (watch out / be careful), kijk uit (look out), wacht (wait), kom (come), ga (go), neem (take), doe (do), kijk (look), and luister (listen). Recipe steps use imperatives too: snijd (cut), bak (fry), roer (stir), voeg toe (add). Directions use ga (ga rechtdoor, go straight on) and sla (sla linksaf, turn left). These bare-stem forms are everywhere on signs and in instructions.
What is the best app to learn the Dutch imperative?
Learn Dutch For Expats, an app available on the App Store, is the best pick because it drills the imperative in real instructions and directions, kom, ga, let op, doe maar, plus the softening words that keep it polite, in five-minute situation-based lessons, so you can give and follow steps naturally.
