But before I give you some examples of how to give commands with vos using stem changing “ir” verbs and irregular verbs, I want to remind you of the two rules that I gave in my last blog post about using “vos” with commands:

Regla Número Uno: El imperativo de vos nunca tiene cambios en las raíces de los verbos a menos que
sean verbos con raíces cambiadas y “ir” en negativo. That is, the imperative of “vos” never has changes in the stem of a verb unless the verb is a stem changing “ir” verb AND you are using it in the
negative.

Regla Número Dos. El negativo es igual que el negativo de tú pero con accento en la última síliba. That is, the the negative is the same as the negative of “tú” but with an accent on the last syllable. But don’t forget the exception to this “regla” or rule that I listed under “Regla Número Uno” that pertains to negative commands using stem changing “ir” verbs.

So now let me show you how to use “vos” with stem changing “ir” verbs. If you own a copy of the Verbarrator software, then you already know that in the present tense, stem-changing verbs ending in “ir” are grouped in one of three patterns based on the change in the stem vowel:

e to ie
o to ue
e to i

But that’s NOT the same change that takes place with stem changing “ir” verbs when giving commands with “vos” — in the negative.

When giving negative commands with “vos,” stem changing “ir” verbs make these changes

o to u
e to i

Let me give you some examples of commands with “vos” using stem-changing “ir” verbs:

competir – competí (compete) – no compitás (don’t compete)
hervir – herví (boil) – no hirvás (don’t boil)
gemir – gemí (moan) – no gimás (don’t moan)
preferir – preferí (prerfer) – no prefirás (don’t prerfer)
morir – morí (die) – no murás (don’t die)
sugerir – sugerí (suggest) – no sugirás (don’t suggest)

How To Give Commands Using “Vos” and Irregular Spanish Verbs

Now let me give you some examples of commands with “vos” using irregular Spanish verbs:

ser – sé (be) – seás (don’t be)
decir – decí (say) – no digás (don’t say)
tener – tené (have) – no tengás (don’t have)