The imperatives of sum/esse (to be) are sg. es/esto and pl. este.
When do we use es? And when esto?
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Related: What are the future imperatives of sum? – Asteroides Aug 14 '20 at 04:26
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But this is the present. – global05 Aug 14 '20 at 04:45
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1Could you clarify where you are seeing esto given as a present imperative form of sum? Allen and Greenough describe it as a future imperative form even when used with a generic meaning: 449 (giving the example "Is iūris cīvīlis cūstōs estō. (Legg. 3.8) Let him (the prætor) be the guardian of civil right.") – Asteroides Aug 14 '20 at 05:04
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I was taught this by my teacher, based off the Oxford Latin Course – global05 Aug 14 '20 at 05:26
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It's possible that you may have misunderstood: i.e. that it wasn't explicitly said that esto was present tense, but you assumed it. – rjpond Aug 21 '20 at 11:18
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Es and este are the present imperative, esto and estote are the future imperative. As far as I know, the difference between present and future imperatives is the same for all verbs, and esse is not different.
I think the general differences between present and future imperatives should be asked in a separate question — if not asked already. It is not simply a matter of tense but there are nuances to it.
(The present imperative only has the second person forms. The future one has these and third person forms esto (same as second) and sunto. This is the same for all verbs.)
Joonas Ilmavirta
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If I recall correctly, esto not infrequently occurs in the function of a present imperative, simply because es shares its form with the indicative and therefore introduces a not insignificant amount of ambiguity. – Anonym Jun 12 '21 at 21:40
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@Anonym Makes sense! If you can quote a grammar and an example or two where such ambiguity would arise if es were used, it'd make a great answer. – Joonas Ilmavirta Jun 12 '21 at 21:46