Classroom communication happens quickly, and clear instructions help lessons run smoothly. Learning Spanish commands for teachers allows instructors to guide activities, manage behavior, and keep students focused. Whether asking students to open their notebooks, practice a dialogue, or explain an answer, commands are one of the most practical tools teachers use every day. Watch the video lesson below to learn how to form tú and ustedes commands for classroom instructions using -CAR verbs.
One important group teachers should understand is -CAR verbs, which follow a predictable spelling change when used in usted and ustedes commands, as well as negative tú commands. Verbs such as practicar, explicar, buscar, sacar, and indicar frequently appear in classroom instructions and activities. In this guide to Spanish commands for teachers, we’ll look specifically at -CAR verb classroom commands, including examples of affirmative and negative forms that teachers can use naturally with their students. By practicing these structures, educators can build a stronger set of Spanish classroom commands that support effective instruction and classroom management.
At CGI we are always thinking about ways to benefit communities through Spanish-language teaching to professionals, including teachers. Make sure to check out our series of asynchronous courses for teachers. Topics include Classroom Management and Parent-Teacher Conferences among others.
Verbs -CAR for Teachers
Here is a list of -CAR verbs commonly used by teachers.
| Verbs |
| practicar – to practice explicar – to explain buscar – to look for sacar – to take out indicar – to indicate / point out marcar – to mark / select identificar – to identify destacar – to highlight / emphasize verificar – to check / verify aplicar – to apply |
Spanish Commands for Teachers: Ustedes -CAR Instructions
To form ustedes commands, teachers can follow a simple three-step process that works well for many common classroom verbs. First, start with the present tense yo form of the verb. For example, with explicar, the yo form is explico. Next, drop the final -o to create the stem (expliqu-). Finally, add the opposite ending and then -n for ustedes commands. For -AR verbs, this ending is -en, while -ER and -IR verbs use -an. With -CAR verbs, the spelling changes from c to qu before e to keep the hard k sound. For example: explicar → explico → expliqu- → expliquen. Understanding this pattern helps educators form clear Spanish commands for teachers, making it easier to give instructions and manage activities using natural Spanish classroom commands. Let’s see some examples below:
| Practicar |
| practicar → practico → practiqu- → practiquen |
| Example: Practiquen el diálogo con sus compañeros. |
| Buscar |
| buscar → busco → busqu- → busquen |
| Example: Busquen la respuesta en el texto. |
Spanish Commands for Teachers: Tú CAR in Affirmative & Negative
To form affirmative tú commands, teachers can follow a simple pattern that works with most verbs used for classroom instructions. The good news is that if you know the present tense, you already know how to form an affirmative tú command. Just start with the él / ella / usted form of the present tense of the verb. This form becomes the affirmative tú command. For example, with explicar, the usted form is explica. That same form becomes the tú command. The same pattern applies to many -CAR verbs commonly used in classroom instructions. For instance, sacar becomes saca and marcar becomes marca. The pattern looks like this: explicar → explica, sacar → saca, marcar → marca. Understanding this structure helps educators form clear Spanish commands for teachers, making it easier to give instructions and manage activities using natural Spanish classroom commands.
To form negative tú commands, teachers can follow a pattern that is closely related to the steps used for ustedes commands. First, start with the present tense yo form of the verb. Next, drop the final -o to create the stem. Then add the opposite ending, just like you would when forming ustedes commands, but without the final -n. For -AR verbs, the ending becomes -es, while -ER and -IR verbs use -as. With -CAR verbs, the spelling changes from c to qu before e to keep the hard k sound. For example: explicar → explico → expliqu- → no expliques. Understanding this pattern helps educators form clear Spanish commands for teachers, making it easier to give negative instructions such as telling students what not to do during classroom activities.
Let’s see some examples of tú commands in affirmative and negative:
| Marcar | |
| marcar → marca | marcar → marco → marqu- → no marques |
| Example: Marca la opción correcta. | No marques la opción correcta todavía. |
| Explicar | |
| explicar → explica | explicar → explico → expliqu- → no expliques |
| Example: Explica la respuesta a la clase. | No expliques la respuesta todavía. |
If you need a refresher on commands, check out this blog geared for teachers all about negative tú commands.
