Spanish 1 Quiz: Using Common Commands
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Using Common CommandsQuestion 1 of 9

Two commands are written on the board: (1) 'Habla más despacio.' (2) 'Hable más despacio.'

A student needs to choose the correct command to use when politely asking a store clerk (someone they do not know well) to speak more slowly. Which command should the student use, and why?

Command 1 (Habla), because it is the standard command form used with any adult in Spanish.
Command 2 (Hable), because any command that includes an adverb like despacio requires the formal usted form.
Command 1 (Habla), because -ar verbs always use the -a ending for all command forms regardless of formality.
Command 2 (Hable), because it is the usted (formal) command, appropriate when addressing an unfamiliar adult respectfully.
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Spanish 1 Quiz

Spanish 1 Quiz: Using Common Commands

Practice Using Common Commands in Spanish 1 with focused quiz questions that help you check what you know, review explanations, and build confidence with test-style prompts.

What this quiz covers

This quiz focuses on Using Common Commands, giving you a quick way to practice the rules, question types, and explanations that matter most for Spanish 1.

How to use this quiz

Try each quiz question before looking at the correct answer. Use the explanations to review missed ideas, then come back to similar questions until the pattern feels familiar.

All questions

Question 1

Two commands are written on the board: (1) 'Habla más despacio.' (2) 'Hable más despacio.'

A student needs to choose the correct command to use when politely asking a store clerk (someone they do not know well) to speak more slowly. Which command should the student use, and why?

  1. Command 1 (Habla), because it is the standard command form used with any adult in Spanish.
  2. Command 2 (Hable), because any command that includes an adverb like despacio requires the formal usted form.
  3. Command 1 (Habla), because -ar verbs always use the -a ending for all command forms regardless of formality.
  4. Command 2 (Hable), because it is the usted (formal) command, appropriate when addressing an unfamiliar adult respectfully. (correct answer)
Explanation: When you see a command (imperative) question in Spanish, your first instinct should be to identify the relationship between the speaker and the person being addressed — specifically, whether the situation calls for tú (informal) or usted (formal). In Spanish, the tú command for regular -ar verbs uses the third-person singular present tense ending: habla. The usted command, however, uses the present subjunctive form, which switches the vowel — so -ar verbs take an -e ending: hable. A store clerk you've never met is an unfamiliar adult, and Spanish etiquette calls for the formal usted register in that context. That makes Hable más despacio the correct and respectful choice, confirming that D is correct. A is wrong because habla is the tú command, used with friends, family, children, or people you know well — not with strangers you're addressing respectfully. It's not a universal adult form. B is wrong because the presence of an adverb like despacio has absolutely nothing to do with which command form you use. Register (tú vs. usted) is determined entirely by your relationship with the listener, not by other words in the sentence. This is a classic distractor that invents a false grammar rule. C is wrong for a similar reason — -ar verbs do not use the same -a ending across all command forms. The tú command uses -a, but the usted command switches to -e. Mixing these up is one of the most common errors in Spanish 1. As a study tip, memorize the "vowel flip" rule: tú commands keep the verb's natural vowel (-ar → -a, -er/-ir → -e), while usted commands flip it (-ar → -e, -er/-ir → -a).

Question 2

Read the following classroom exchange: Teacher: '¿Todos tienen su tarea?' Student (whispering to a friend): '  tu tarea — la profesora la va a recoger.' The student wants to tell the friend to take out their homework.

Which command best completes the student's urgent whisper to a single classmate?

  1. Sacas
  2. Saquen
  3. Saca (correct answer)
  4. Sacar
Explanation: When you see a question asking you to complete a command in Spanish, your first job is to identify who is being addressed and what verb form that requires. Commands (imperativos) change form depending on whether you're speaking to one person informally (tú), multiple people (ustedes), or someone formally (usted). In this scene, a student is whispering urgently to a single classmate — one friend, informal register. That points directly to the informal singular (tú) command. For most verbs, you form the affirmative tú command by taking the él/ella form of the present tense. For sacar, that's saca — making C the correct answer. The full whisper would be: "Saca tu tarea — la profesora la va a recoger." Natural, urgent, and grammatically perfect. Now let's look at why the other options miss the mark. A (Sacas) is simply the present-tense indicative tú form — it states a fact ("you take out") rather than giving a command. Using the indicative when a command is needed is one of the most common beginner mix-ups. B (Saquen) is the ustedes command form, used when addressing a group of people, not just one classmate. D (Sacar) is the infinitive — the base form of the verb. Infinitives can't stand alone as commands; they need a conjugated verb or modal to function. A useful tip: whenever a question sets up a one-on-one informal situation (friends, classmates, siblings), default to the tú command, which mirrors the él/ella present-tense form for most verbs.

Question 3

A student wants to tell a classmate to listen carefully during the lesson. Which of the following is the correct informal (tú) command to use?

  1. Escuchas con atención.
  2. Escucha con atención. (correct answer)
  3. Escuchen con atención.
  4. Escuchar con atención.
Explanation: When you want to tell someone what to do in Spanish, you need an imperative (command) form — not just any conjugation. The key distinction here is who you're commanding and what verb form that requires. For informal tú commands with regular -AR verbs like escuchar, the rule is simple: drop the infinitive ending and add -a. That gives you escucha, making B) Escucha con atención the correct choice. It directly tells a single classmate (someone you address informally) to listen carefully. Here's why the other options miss the mark. A) Escuchas con atención is the present-tense indicative form for tú — it means "you listen" or "you are listening," which is a statement of fact, not a command. Using this form tells someone what they do, not what they should do. C) Escuchen con atención is the formal or plural command form (ustedes), used when addressing a group or someone formally — not a single classmate in an informal setting. D) Escuchar con atención is simply the infinitive, the dictionary form of the verb. Infinitives don't carry command force on their own in standard Spanish grammar. A helpful tip: for regular -AR verbs, the informal tú command looks exactly like the él/ella present-tense form (habla, escucha, camina). So if you already know your present-tense conjugations, you can often derive tú commands quickly. Just remember — commands replace the infinitive; they never are the infinitive.

Question 4

A Spanish teacher is giving instructions to her class. She says: '  el libro a la página veinte, por favor.'

Which command correctly completes the teacher's instruction to a single student, telling them to open the book to page twenty?

  1. Abre (correct answer)
  2. Abres
  3. Abrir
  4. Abrimos
Explanation: When a teacher gives a direct command to a single student in Spanish, you need the tú informal imperative (command form). Recognizing this context is key — the question asks for a command, not a statement or question. For regular -AR verbs, the tú command is formed by dropping the -AR ending and adding -e. For abrir (an -IR verb), the tú command drops the -IR and adds -e, giving you abre. This matches perfectly: "Abre el libro a la página veinte" means "Open the book to page twenty." Choice A is correct. Here's why the other options don't work: B) Abres is the present-tense indicative form of abrir for tú — it means "you open" as a statement of fact, not a command. Commands and present-tense conjugations look similar, which is exactly the trap the question sets. C) Abrir is the infinitive ("to open"), which is the base dictionary form of the verb. Infinitives are never used as direct commands to a person. D) Abrimos is the nosotros (we) form in present tense, meaning "we open." This doesn't address a single student at all, and it's not a command form. A handy study tip: when you see a sentence with a blank at the start, a direct address, and por favor, that's a strong signal you need an imperative (command) form. Train yourself to immediately ask: Who is being commanded? One person (tú), a group (vosotros/ustedes), or a formal individual (usted)? Matching the correct subject to the correct command form is the core skill being tested here.

Question 5

Which sentence correctly uses a command to tell a friend NOT to speak during the exam? (negative tú command)

  1. No hablas durante el examen.
  2. No hables durante el examen. (correct answer)
  3. No habla durante el examen.
  4. No hablar durante el examen.
Explanation: When giving commands in Spanish, the form you use depends on who you're talking to and whether the command is positive or negative. For negative tú commands — telling a friend not to do something — Spanish uses the present subjunctive, not the regular present tense or the infinitive. Here's the formula: take the yo form of the present tense, drop the -o, and add the opposite vowel ending. For hablar, the yo form is hablo → drop the -o → habl- → add -es (the opposite ending for -ar verbs) → hables. So "No hables durante el examen" is the correct negative tú command, making B the right answer. As for the wrong choices: A ("No hablas") uses the regular present tense indicative, which simply states a fact — "You don't speak during the exam" — rather than giving a command. It's a common trap because hablas looks like a tú form, but commands require the subjunctive. C ("No habla") uses the third-person singular (él/ella), which would be the correct form for a negative usted command, not tú — so it's addressing the wrong person. D ("No hablar") uses the infinitive, which is never used alone as a command in standard Spanish grammar. A quick memory trick: for negative tú commands with -ar verbs, think "opposite ending" — -ar verbs take -es, and -er/-ir verbs take -as. If you can spot subjunctive endings, you'll ace these command questions every time.

Question 6

A Spanish teacher addresses the whole class and says: '  sus nombres en la parte superior del papel antes de entregar el examen.' She is telling all students to write their names at the top of the paper.

Which command form correctly completes the teacher's instruction to the entire class?

  1. Escribe
  2. Escribes
  3. Escriban (correct answer)
  4. Escribimos
Explanation: When giving commands in Spanish, the verb form you choose depends entirely on who you're commanding. This question tests whether you can identify the correct formal plural command — used when addressing a group of people. In a classroom setting, a teacher speaking to the entire class uses the ustedes command form, which applies to groups in both formal and informal contexts throughout the Spanish-speaking world. To form it, you take the yo present-tense form, drop the -o, and add the opposite vowel ending: for -AR verbs, add -en; for -ER/-IR verbs, add -an. For escribir (an -IR verb): escribo → drop -o → escrib- → add -an = escriban. That makes C the correct answer, perfectly matching the teacher's instruction to the whole class. Now let's look at why the other choices fail. A (Escribe) is the tú informal singular command — it tells one person to write, not an entire class. B (Escribes) is simply the present-tense indicative form for tú, meaning "you write" as a statement of fact, not a command at all — commands never use indicative conjugations. D (Escribimos) is the nosotros present tense, meaning "we write," which places the speaker inside the group rather than directing it — completely wrong for giving instructions. A handy tip: whenever you see a command directed at a group (words like "class," "everyone," or "students"), immediately think ustedes command and apply the -en/-an ending. Don't confuse command forms with regular conjugations — commands follow their own set of rules.

Question 7

A student wrote the following note to a friend: 'Por favor, cierra la puerta cuando salgas.' Later, the teacher asks the student to rewrite the note as if it were addressed to two friends instead of one.

How should the student change the command cierra when rewriting the note for two friends (using ustedes)?

  1. Change cierra to cierren, because the ustedes command preserves the stem change and uses the -en ending. (correct answer)
  2. Change cierra to cierran, because the ustedes present indicative form is used for plural commands.
  3. Change cierra to cierras, because adding -s to any command makes it plural in Spanish.
  4. Change cierra to cerrar, because the infinitive serves as the command form when addressing multiple people.
Explanation: When forming commands in Spanish, you need to think about two things: who you're addressing and how verbs behave in the subjunctive mood. Formal and plural commands (ustedes) are built using the present subjunctive, not the present indicative — this is the core concept this question is testing. For ustedes commands, you take the yo form of the present tense, drop the -o, and add the opposite vowel ending: -en for -ar verbs and -an for -er/-ir verbs. The verb cerrar is a stem-changing verb (e → ie), meaning its yo form is cierro. Drop the -o, and you get the stem cierr-. Because cerrar is an -ar verb, you add -en, giving you cierren. Crucially, the stem change is preserved because the stress still falls on the stem in this form. That makes A correct. B is wrong because cierran is the present indicative form of cerrar for ustedes — it describes what people do, not what you're commanding them to do. Indicative ≠ command. C is wrong because there is no rule in Spanish that simply adding -s to a command makes it plural. Tú commands use -s (like cierra), but that's a different subject entirely — you can't extend that logic to ustedes. D is wrong because infinitives never function as command forms in standard Spanish. Commands require conjugation. As a study tip, remember: ustedes commands always use the present subjunctive form. If you know your subjunctive conjugations — including stem changes — you'll always form plural commands correctly.

Question 8

A friend texts you in Spanish: 'Ven aquí y trae tu diccionario.' What is your friend commanding you to do?

  1. Come here and look up a word in the dictionary for me.
  2. Stay here and put your dictionary away before coming.
  3. Go over there and leave your dictionary here.
  4. Come here and bring your dictionary with you. (correct answer)
Explanation: When reading Spanish commands, your job is to identify the verb being used and its meaning — everything else in the sentence follows from there. In this text, your friend uses two command verbs: "ven" and "trae." The verb venir (to come) in the tú command form is ven, meaning "come." The verb traer (to bring) in the tú command form is trae, meaning "bring." So the full sentence translates to: "Come here and bring your dictionary." That makes D the correct answer — your friend wants you to physically come to their location and bring your dictionary along with you. Looking at the wrong answers, A is tempting because it involves a dictionary, but "look up a word" is never implied by trae — that verb means to bring an object, not search through it. B completely reverses the meaning of ven; "stay here" is the opposite of venir (to come), and "put away" is nowhere in the original. C makes a similar error with ven, confusing "come here" with "go over there," and also misreads trae as "leave behind" rather than "bring with you" — the exact opposite meaning. A useful study tip: Spanish command verbs are irregular in the tú form, and ven and trae are two of the most commonly tested. Make a short list of irregular tú commands — ven (come), trae (bring), di (say), haz (do), pon (put) — and memorize them as a group so you recognize them instantly on the exam.

Question 9

Which of the following best represents a complete, correct classroom command a teacher might use to tell students to repeat after her?

  1. Repitan después de mí, por favor. (correct answer)
  2. Repiten después de mí, por favor.
  3. Repetir después de mí, por favor.
  4. Repite después de mí, por favor.
Explanation: When a teacher gives a command to a class in Spanish, she's using the imperative mood — specifically the formal plural (ustedes) command form, since she's addressing multiple students. This is different from everyday present-tense verb conjugations, and recognizing that distinction is the key to this question. For -ir verbs like repetir, the formal plural command is formed by taking the yo present-tense form (repito), dropping the -o, and adding -an: repitan. This gives you choice A — Repitan después de mí, por favor — which is grammatically correct and natural for a classroom setting. The phrase después de mí means "after me," and por favor adds polite softening, exactly what a teacher would say. Choice B, Repiten, looks tempting because it's a real word — but it's the third-person plural present indicative, used to describe what people do, not to command them. Saying repiten would mean "they repeat," not "repeat!" Choice C, Repetir, is the infinitive form. In English we sometimes use infinitives as commands (think instruction manuals), but in Spanish this is informal and grammatically inappropriate in a standard classroom command. Choice D, Repite, is the tú (informal singular) command — it's only correct when addressing one person informally, not a whole class. A helpful study tip: always ask yourself who is being commanded and what relationship exists. Plural group = ustedes command (-en/-an ending); one person, informal = tú command; one person, formal = usted command. Keeping that chart in mind will help you eliminate distractors quickly.