bailar Affirmative Imperative Conjugation
bailar — to dance
The imperative of bailar gives commands: baila (tú), bailad (vosotros), and uses subjunctive for others.
bailar Affirmative Imperative Forms
When to Use the Affirmative Imperative
Use the imperative to tell someone to dance, like a dance instructor giving orders or a friend encouraging you on the floor.
Notes on bailar in the Affirmative Imperative
Bailar is regular. The tú form 'baila' is the same as the present indicative 'ella baila'.
Example Sentences
¡Baila como si nadie te viera!
Dance like nobody is watching you!
tú
Baile con su esposa, señor.
Dance with your wife, sir.
usted
Bailen todos ahora.
Everyone dance now.
ustedes
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using 'bailar' as a command.
Correct: baila or bailad
Why: In Spanish, the infinitive is not used as a direct command to a person; you must conjugate it.
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Related Tenses
Present
yo: bailo
Bailar is a regular -ar verb in the present tense: bailo, bailas, baila, bailamos, bailáis, bailan.
Preterite
yo: bailé
The preterite of bailar is regular: bailé, bailaste, bailó, bailamos, bailasteis, bailaron.
Imperfect
yo: bailaba
Bailar in the imperfect follows the regular -aba pattern: bailaba, bailabas, bailaba, bailábamos, bailabais, bailaban.
Future
yo: bailaré
The future of bailar is formed by adding -é, -ás, -á, -emos, -éis, -án to the infinitive.
Conditional
yo: bailaría
The conditional of bailar uses the infinitive plus -ía endings: bailaría, bailarías, bailaría, bailaríamos, bailaríais, bailarían.
Present Subjunctive
yo: baile
The present subjunctive of bailar swaps the -a for -e: baile, bailes, baile, bailemos, bailéis, bailen.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: bailara
The imperfect subjunctive of bailar is based on the 'ellos' preterite: bailara, bailaras, bailara, bailáramos, bailarais, bailaran.
Negative Imperative
yo: no bailes
The negative imperative of bailar uses the present subjunctive forms: no bailes, no baile, no bailemos, no bailéis, no bailen.