The Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) of Obedecer is used to give direct orders or instructions to obey something, for example: Obedece las reglas. (Obey the rules.)

This verb follows the -cer to -zca spelling-changing conjugation pattern, where the c changes to zc before the endings are added.

Conjugations

Conjugations of Obedecer (to obey) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish):

Obedecer generally means to obey or follow instructions, but has several different meanings in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands), some of which might surprise you.

Literal meaning: To follow orders or instructions, for example, ¡Obedece a tus padres! (Obey your parents!)

Figurative meaning: To comply with rules or laws, for example, ¡Obedece las reglas de la casa! (Obey the house rules!)

Colloquial meaning: To listen or pay attention, often used in a playful or sarcastic way, for example, ¡Oye, obedece! (Hey, listen up!)

Rude meaning: To submit or give in, often used in a derogatory or condescending way, for example, ¡Obedece y cállate! (Obey and shut up!)

Examples

Examples of Obedecer in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands)

¡Obedece a tus padres! (Obey your parents!)

Cuando el policía te diga que te detengas, obedece. (When the police officer tells you to stop, obey.)

Empleados, obedezcan las instrucciones de seguridad. (Employees, obey the safety instructions.)

Compañeros, obedezcamos al capitán del equipo. (Teammates, let’s obey the team captain.)

En la clase de yoga, obedece las indicaciones del instructor. (In the yoga class, obey the instructor’s directions.)

Antes de viajar, obedece todos los requisitos de entrada al país. (Before traveling, obey all entry requirements for the country.)

Si quieres progresar en tu carrera, obedece los consejos de tu mentor. (If you want to progress in your career, obey your mentor’s advice.)

Para mantener una buena salud, obedece las recomendaciones de tu médico. (To maintain good health, obey your doctor’s recommendations.)

En una emergencia, obedece las instrucciones de los socorristas. (In an emergency, obey the first responders’ instructions.)

Niños, obedezcan a sus maestros en la escuela. (Children, obey your teachers at school.)

Cuando estés en un país extranjero, obedece las leyes y costumbres locales. (When you’re in a foreign country, obey the local laws and customs.)

En el ejército, obedece las órdenes de tus superiores sin cuestionar. (In the army, obey your superiors’ orders without questioning.)

Si quieres tener éxito en los negocios, obedece los principios éticos. (If you want to succeed in business, obey ethical principles.)

Para una vida espiritual plena, obedece los mandamientos de tu fe. (For a fulfilling spiritual life, obey the commandments of your faith.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Obedecer (to obey) in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) tense (Latin American Spanish) with English Translations:

This post covers Latin American Spanish. For Castilian Spanish, click here

Synonyms

The Imperative mood is also known as the Command Form, Affirmative Command Mood, or Direct Command Form in English, and as Modo Imperativo, Imperativo Afirmativo, Mandatos Afirmativos, or Forma de Mandato in Spanish.