Afrikaans imperatives are verb-first, and do not allow any element in the clause-initial position before the verb. If there is preceding material, such as a vocative or another exclamation to draw attention, it is separated from the clause with an intonation break or comma, and not integrated into the clause. Such attention-grabbing expressions can be placed before or after the clause with equal ease, and are optional. The typical verb-first imperative is illustrated by the examples in (1), while the examples in (2) show the options for the placement of the vocative and other attention-grabbing expressions. Example (1c) demonstrates that verbal particles can either follow the verb in the verb-initial position, or can be positioned in the verb-final position after the middle field. Example (1d) illustrates that combinations of linking verbs and main verbs occur adjacent to each other in the verb-initial position.

There is a specific construction for the formation of negative imperatives in Afrikaans. The modal moet must fuses with the negative particle nie not to create the form moenie must=not mustn't, which occupies the verb-initial position of the negative imperative, while the main verb is positioned in the verb-final part of the clause, and followed by the clause-final nie. By extension, a more emphatic negative can be formed by separating the moet en nie, although the form moenie is the more frequent option. With the split form moet … nie, it is possible to introduce intervening material between the modal and negative particle, such as hedges or a reflexive. The negative imperative forms are exemplified in (3), where the primeless examples represent the typical form and the primed examples the more emphatic form.