ladrar Affirmative Imperative Conjugation
ladrar — to bark
Use imperative forms like ladra (tú) or ladren (ustedes) for direct commands when telling someone to bark.
ladrar Affirmative Imperative Forms
When to Use the Affirmative Imperative
The imperative is used for direct commands. For 'ladrar', you might use it to tell a dog to bark (though usually, we'd use a different verb for that!) or in a very specific, perhaps poetic, context for people.
Notes on ladrar in the Affirmative Imperative
Ladrar is regular in the imperative tense. The forms are derived directly from the verb stem.
Example Sentences
¡Ladra, perro!
Bark, dog!
tú
¡Ladren fuerte!
Bark loudly!
ustedes
Ladrad, vosotros, cuando veáis al cartero.
Bark, you all, when you see the mailman.
vosotros
Common Mistakes
Mistake: Using the present indicative instead of imperative for commands.
Correct: Use '¡Ladra!' not '¡Ladras!'.
Why: The present indicative describes ongoing actions, while the imperative is for giving orders.
Mistake: Confusing tú and usted forms.
Correct: Use 'Ladra' for 'tú' (informal singular) and 'Ladre' for 'usted' (formal singular).
Why: These forms are distinct and used based on the level of formality with the person you're addressing.
Master Spanish verbs in context
Memorizing tables only gets you so far. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories to see verbs like 'ladrar' used naturally — in the tenses you're learning.
Related Tenses
Present
yo: ladro
Present tense forms like ladro, ladras, ladra describe habitual actions or things happening now.
Preterite
yo: ladré
The preterite of ladrar is regular: ladré, ladraste, ladró, ladramos, ladrasteis, ladraron, for completed actions.
Imperfect
yo: ladraba
The imperfect tense like ladraba describes ongoing or habitual actions in the past.
Future
yo: ladraré
Future tense forms like ladraré express actions that will happen in the future.
Conditional
yo: ladraría
Conditional forms like ladraría express hypothetical outcomes ('would') or polite requests.
Present Subjunctive
yo: ladre
Present subjunctive forms like ladre or ladren express wishes, doubts, or emotions about a present or future event.
Imperfect Subjunctive
yo: ladrara
The imperfect subjunctive like ladrara or ladrase expresses hypothetical situations or wishes in the past.
Negative Imperative
yo: no ladres
Negative commands like no ladres (tú) or no ladren (ustedes) use the present subjunctive with 'no'.