The Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands) of Ser is used to give direct orders or instructions related to being or existing, for example: Sé paciente. (Be patient.)

Ser is an irregular verb, meaning its conjugations do not follow a set pattern across all subjects and tenses. Its Imperative forms must be memorized individually.

Conjugations

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

Ser generally means “to be”, but has several different meanings in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands), some of which might surprise you.

To exist or be present: for example, Sé paciente (Be patient).

To act or behave: for example, Sé un buen amigo (Be a good friend).

To become or turn into: for example, Sé el cambio que quieres ver en el mundo (Be the change you want to see in the world).

Colloquial usage: ¡Sé hombre! (Man up! – used to encourage someone to be brave or tough).

Rude usage: ¡Sé inteligente! (Be smart! – said sarcastically to insult someone’s intelligence).

Examples

Examples of Ser in the Imperative Mood (Affirmative Commands)

¡Sé paciente y todo saldrá bien! (Be patient and everything will work out!)

Por favor, sean respetuosos con los demás. (Please be respectful of others.)

Cuando viajes, sé abierto a nuevas experiencias. (When traveling, be open to new experiences.)

En la reunión, seamos claros y concisos. (In the meeting, let’s be clear and concise.)

Mamá, sé bueno y ayuda a tu hermana. (Mom, be good and help your sister.)

Chicos, sean honestos conmigo. (Kids, be honest with me.)

Para tener éxito, sé persistente y trabaja duro. (To be successful, be persistent and work hard.)

En la fiesta, seamos amables con los invitados. (At the party, let’s be kind to the guests.)

Oye, sé más relajado, ¿quieres? (Hey, be more relaxed, will you?)

Cuando manejes, sé precavido y atento. (When driving, be cautious and attentive.)

En el trabajo, seamos profesionales y eficientes. (At work, let’s be professional and efficient.)

Hija, sé valiente y persigue tus sueños. (Daughter, be brave and pursue your dreams.)

Amigos, sean solidarios y ayuden a los necesitados. (Friends, be supportive and help those in need.)

En la entrevista, sé seguro de ti mismo. (In the interview, be confident in yourself.)

Cuando estudies, sé disciplinado y enfocado. (When studying, be disciplined and focused.)

Conjugations with English Translations

Conjugations of Ser (to be) 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.