How to redirect student behavior in a classroom setting is always a challenge, let alone when it’s not in your native language. Check the video below to learn how to use these three redirective methods in the Spanish classroom: tú commands, vamos a, o puedes.
In this lesson, you’ll learn three different ways to create Spanish classroom phrases to redirect student behavior or redirigir el comportamiento del estudiante. Whether it’s telling a student to prestar atención (pay attention) or giving them options to choose the ideal behavior, for example, puedes ir a la oficina de la directora o puedes poner atención (you can go to the principal’s office or you can pay attention), we’ve got you covered in this lesson about Spanish classroom phrases to redirect students.
#1: Spanish classroom phrases using tú commands
In Spanish, you can use tú commands with people younger than you, so children or teens, as well as peers and family members. The great thing about affirmative tú commands is that they are easy to form and very direct, but appropiate in the classroom. Here’s the formula to give an affirmative tú command:
| Take the infinitive | Go to él/ella/usted form in the present tense |
| Prestar (to lend, to pay attention) | Presta |
| Abrir (to open) | Abre |
| Entender (to understand) | Entiende |
As you can see forming affirmative tú commands are pan comido. Keep in mind, negative tú commands are a bit trickier, but in this blog, we’re focusing on redirective language, so let’s keep it positive. If you want to learn more about commands, check out our Spanish Lab: Commands series; a three part lesson series covering tú, usted, and nosotros commands in Spanish.
Even as a beginner student, you know the Spanish language is full of exceptions! Tú commands are also no exception. Check the irregular tú forms below:
| Infinitive | Irregular tú command |
| Venir | ven (come) |
| Decir | di (say) |
| Salir | sal (leave) |
| Hacer | haz (do) |
| Tener | ten (have) |
| Ir | ve (go) |
| Poner | pon (put) |
| Ser | sé (be) |
There is a great little saying to help you remember these irregular forms: vin diesel has ten weapons! Now say it really fast: vidisalhaztenveponse! Did you get it? If you didn’t, no worries, check this blog.
So, with tú commands you can make a lot of great, direct Spanish classroom phrases. Let’s see some examples:
| Redirective language w/tu command | English translation |
| Presta atención. | Pay attention. |
| Abre el libro. | Open the book. |
| Entiende lo que te digo. | Understand what I’m saying to you. |
| Hazlo ahora mismo. | Do it now. |
Reflexive verbs in tú commands
Now there is one last, little caveat (of course!): with reflexive verbs in the affirmative tú command, you have to add the reflexive pronoun te at the end of the conjugated verb in third-person singular form and add an accent (so as to put the emphasis there when speaking). Let’s see some examples:
| Reflexive verb in redirective language | English translation |
| Sentarse: siéntate | Sit down. |
| Enfocarse: enfócate | Focus (yourself). |
| Levantarse: levántate | Get up. |
It’s not so difficult, right? Just add that te pronoun to the end to make your affirmative tú command. Remember, this blog deals with positive, redirective language, so check out negative tú commands, since there are some very important differences.
#2: Spanish Classroom Phrases using Vamos a
If you’re a beginner and you found those tú commands a tad confusing, no worries! ¡No te preocupes! We’ve got you covered with this simple way of giving a Spanish classroom phrase. On the other hand, if you’re a more advanced student, this construction also has its merits. The construction vamos a means “Let’s” or “We are going to” and then you just add an infinitive verb. It’s great for giving the whole class Spanish redirective language or even intended for one student, but it doesn’t quite single them out in the same way as a tú command. Vamos a ver unos ejemplos:
| Vamos a + infinitive | English translation |
| Vamos a prestar atención. | Let’s pay attention / we are going to pay attention. |
| Vamos a abrir el libro. | Let’s open the book / we are going to open the book |
| Vamos a sentarnos. | Let’s sit down / we are going to sit down |
#3 Spanish Classroom Phrases using Puedes
The final way you are going to learn to use Spanish classroom phrases to give redirective language is by employing the verb poder (to be able to) or puedes (you can). In this way you can either tell the student to do something, or even give them options and therefore, the opportunity to select the best behavior possible. Best of all, this Spanish classroom phrase is so simple to form and use; you will be saying it regularly in your classroom in no time.
| Puedes + infinitive | English translation |
| Puedes dejar de interrumpir ahora mismo. | Can you stop interrupting now? |
| Puedes guardar silencio o puedes ir a la oficina de la directora. | You can be quiet or go to the principal’s office. |
| Puedes escoger trabajar solo o con un compañero. | You can choose to work alone or with a classmate. |
| Puedes enfocarte, por favor. | Can you focus, please? |
Now, this isn’t an English language blog, but notice that the question is practically rhetorical. It’s not really a question, right? When you say this phrase, you’re actually telling the student what they should be doing. Therefore, in Spanish, we usually don’t phrase this construction as a question.
