Imperative or infinitive? Two ways to write French instructions
Compare ouvrez with ouvrir in French instructions. See parallel steps, negative forms and reflexive pronouns, then choose a consistent pattern.
In short
Both Ouvrez le dossier and Ouvrir le dossier can give an instruction. The imperative addresses someone; the infinitive names a step. Choose one pattern for a sequence, including its negatives and pronouns.
Yellow the idea to rememberBlue French to learn
Imperative or infinitive for French instructions?
Ouvrez. Vérifiez. Envoyez.Commands addressed to the reader
Focus: A vous instruction: one reader or a group.
verbe à l’impératif
Ouvrez le dossier, puis vérifiez la date.
Open the folder, then check the date.
Ouvrir. Vérifier. Envoyer.Steps written as actions
Focus: An action list with no tu or vous ending.
verbe à l’infinitif
Ouvrir le dossier, puis vérifier la date.
Open the folder, then check the date.
Recipes, notices and task lists can use either format. A short message to a friend might instead use Ouvre le dossier. Its tu form follows your relationship with that person. Keep the same address through the next steps: ouvre, vérifie, envoie.
Where do ne and pronouns go with an infinitive instruction?
| Action | Imperative (vous) | Infinitive |
|---|---|---|
| Open | Ouvrez le dossier. | Ouvrir le dossier. |
| Do not change | Ne modifiez pas la date. | Ne pas modifier la date. |
| Sign in | Connectez-vous. | Se connecter. |
| Do not sign in | Ne vous connectez pas. | Ne pas se connecter. |
With a negative infinitive, ne pas comes before the verb. With a reflexive infinitive, the pronoun sits just before it: ne pas se connecter. The imperative uses vous instead of se, and the positive form attaches it with a hyphen.
At the desk: make the steps match
- Nora
J’ai écrit : « Ouvrez le dossier, vérifier la date, puis envoyez la réponse. »
I wrote: “Open the folder, check the date, then send the reply.”
- Malik
Gardons l’impératif : « Ouvrez le dossier, vérifiez la date, puis envoyez la réponse. »
Let’s keep the imperative: “Open the folder, check the date, then send the reply.”
- Nora
Et pour la version à l’infinitif ?
And for the infinitive version?
- Malik
« Ouvrir le dossier, vérifier la date, puis envoyer la réponse. »
“Open the folder, check the date, then send the reply.”
English uses the same wording in both versions. The French endings reveal the difference. A heading can use an infinitive while the instructions beneath it use commands; equivalent steps within one list should follow the chosen pattern.