What does 命令形 mean?

Verb Imperative-form. Example: 読め、食べろ、しろ、来い ([Imperative-form] of read, eat, do, come)

N4 Verb Forms

命令めいれい形けい: meaning, usage and examples

Q: How do you form 命令形?

Group 1: -u -> -e (書く -> 書け) / Group 2: -る -> -ろ (食べる -> 食べろ) / する -> しろ / 来る -> 来い (こい). Learners mostly need to recognize this form, not use it. If you would not shout it in an emergency, use てください.

命令めいれい形けい means: Verb Imperative-form.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

How to form it

Group 1: -u -> -e (書かく -> 書かけ) / Group 2: -る -> -ろ (食たべる -> 食たべろ) / する -> しろ / 来くる -> 来こい (こい)

Examples

読よめ、食たべろ、しろ、来こい
[Imperative-form] of read, eat, do, come
早はやく起おきろ！
Hurry up and get up!
Nuance note
The plain command form is very strong: parents to children, in anger, or shouted in sport. Everyday requests use the て form.
早はやく起おきて！
Get up!
静しずかにしろ！
Be quiet!
走はしれ！ゴールまであと少すこしだ！
Run! The finish line is almost here!
父ちちに「早はやく寝ねろ」と言いわれました。
My father told me to hurry up and go to bed.
道みちに「止とまれ」と書かいてあります。
The word "Stop" is written on the road.

When to use it

The imperative form gives a direct, blunt command: "Do it!" You hear it in emergencies (逃にげろ!), from sports coaches and fans cheering (走はしれ!), on road signs (止とまれ, Stop), and when reporting what someone told you in plain speech (父ちちに「寝ねろ」と言いわれた). It belongs to rough, urgent or very close speech.

Nuance

Used directly to a person, the imperative is rough and can sound rude or angry. In everyday polite life, use てください or なさい instead. You meet it between very close friends, in anime and manga, and in short written signs where brevity matters.

Compare

From strongest to softest: 書かけ (order), 書かきなさい (parent or teacher instructing), 書かいて (casual request), 書かいてください (polite request). The opposite of the imperative is the prohibitive form, which says "don't": 書かくな.

Tip: Learners mostly need to recognize this form, not use it. If you would not shout it in an emergency, use てください.

More on this in Japanese verb conjugation.

Frequently asked questions

What does 命令めいれい形けい mean?

Verb Imperative-form. Example: 読よめ、食たべろ、しろ、来こい ([Imperative-form] of read, eat, do, come)

How do you form 命令めいれい形けい?

Group 1: -u -> -e (書かく -> 書かけ) / Group 2: -る -> -ろ (食たべる -> 食たべろ) / する -> しろ / 来くる -> 来こい (こい). Learners mostly need to recognize this form, not use it. If you would not shout it in an emergency, use てください.