Taking pause in grammar discussion about tenses, let us learn some new topic. Let us learn how to give commands in Gujarati.

It is very easy. Just saying the verb is giving order to someone.

When speaking with someone with respect i.e when you will address someone with તમે (tame)/આપ(Ap); then verb is suffixed with ઓ ( o)

Examples

Command in EnglishCommand in GujaratiCommand in Gujarati ( with respect )
You speakતું બોલ (tuM bol )તમે બોલો (tame bolo )
Read thisઆ વાંચ (A vAMch )આ વાંચો (A vAMcho )
Do itઆ કર (A kar )આ કરો (A karo )
You go !!તું જા (tuM jA )તમે જાઓ (tuM jAo )
Give !!આપ (Ap )આપો (Apo )
Drink !!પી (pI )પીઓ (pIo )
Play Cricket !!ક્રિકેટ રમ (krikeT ram ) ક્રિકેટ રમો (krikeT ramo )

If command is given related to activity going to happen in future,
We add જે(je) to verb. And if such command is given to someone with respect then we append જો(jo) to verb.

e.g. Come tomorrow -> કાલે આવજે (kAle Avaje )
Come tomorrow(with respect ) -> કાલે આવજો(kAle Avajo)

Tell it to me afterwords -> મને પછી કહેજે (mane paChI kaheje ) &
Tell it to me afterwords(with respect ) ->મને પછી કહેજો ( mane paChI kahejo )

Go there coming month -> ત્યાં આવતા મહિને જજે (tyAM AvatA mahine jaje )
Go there coming month(with respect ) -> ત્યાં આવતા મહિને જજો (tyAM AvatA mahine jaje jajo)

આવજો(Avajo) is the very popular phrase in Gujarati when saying good bye to guest. People say આવજો(Avajo) which indicates “Come again” !!

ને(ne) is added to imperative verb form to stress on it.
e.g. If you have told your son to keep quite. But he did not listen to you. Then you may say,
Keep you mouth shut -> તારું મોઢું બંધ કરને ! (tAruM moDhuM baMdh karane)

Another example. If a child is urging his mother to give him a chocolate, he will say,
please mom, give me one chocolate -> બા, મને એક ચોકલેટ આપોને ! (bA, mane ek chokaleT Apone)

So just appending ને(ne) is not sufficient. It is your tone that will decide, if you are requesting curtly or urging someone.

Giving negative commands.

In English we say “Don’t do this”, “Don’t tell it to me”, “Don’t bother me” etc. These are examples of negative commands.

In Gujarati these commands are given in two ways
1) If action is being done presently
2) If action is being done in future

Negative command for present
This is similar to negative statement in simple present tense. Difference is that instead of નથી(nathI) we use નહિં(nahiM). And we generally omit તું(tuM), તમે(tame).

Examples will make it clear

(If said to a boy) You do not play -> તું નથી રમતો (tuM nathI ramato)
(If said to a boy) Do not play -> રમતો નહિં (ramato nahiM)

(If said to a girl) You do not play -> તું નથી રમતી(tuM nathI ramatI)
(If said to a girl) Do not play -> રમતી નહિં (ramatI nahiM)

(If said to a group of girls/boys) You do not play -> તમે નથી રમતાં(tame nathI ramatAM)
(If said to a group of girls/boys) Do not play -> રમતાં નહિં (ramatAM nahiM)

(If said to a person with respect) You do not play -> તમે નથી રમતા(tame nathI ramatA)
(If said to a person with respect) Do not play -> રમતા નહિં (ramatA nahiM)


(If said to a boy) You do not sing-> તું નથી ગાતો (tuM nathI gAto)
(If said to a boy) Do not sing-> ગાતો નહિં (gAto nahiM)

(If said to a girl) You do not sing-> તું નથી ગાતી(tuM nathI gAtI)
(If said to a girl) Do not sing-> ગાતી નહિં (gAtI nahiM)

(If said to a group of girls/boys) You do not sing-> તમે નથી ગાતાં(tame nathI gAtAM)
(If said to a group of girls/boys) Do not sing-> ગાતાં નહિં (gAtAM nahiM)

(If said to a person with respect) You do not sing-> તમે નથી ગાતા(tame nathI gAtA)
(If said to a person with respect) Do not sing -> ગાતા નહિં (gAtA nahiM)

Sometimes ના(nA) can be used instead of નહિં (nahiM)
e.g. ગાતા નહિં(gAtA nahiM) or ના ગાતા (nA gAtA) is same.
રમતાં નહિં (ramatAM nahiM) or ના રમતાં (nA ramatAM ) is same

Negative command for future action
e.g. Suppose you are advising a student about exam in next month. Now activity is not happening immediately. So you will give advice in different way.
Here command statement is same as negative sentence in simple future tense, just omitting તું(tuM), તમે(tame).

You(plural) will not laugh -> તમે હસશો નહિં (tame hasasho nahiM)
Do not laugh -> હસશો નહિં (hasasho nahiM)

You(singular) will not work there -> તું ત્યાં કામ કરીશ નહિં ( tuM tyAM kAm karIsh nahiM )
You(singular) do not work there -> ત્યાં કામ કરીશ નહિં ( tyAM kAm karIsh nahiM )

You may notice that sometimes ના(nA) is used before verb instead of નહિં (nahiM)
e.g. હસશો નહિં(hasasho nahiM) or ના હસશો (nA hasasho ) is same.
રમીશ નહિં (ramIsh nahiM) or ના રમીશ (nA ramIsh ) is same

Listen examples in this lesson at

Commands Imperative statements in Gujarati