Is there any difference in meaning between "commander" and "ordonner" when they mean "to give an order to somebody"? Are both usual?
Example:
- Le professeur a commandé à l'élève de se taire.
- Le professeur a ordonné à l'élève de se taire.
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Sign up to join this communityIs there any difference in meaning between "commander" and "ordonner" when they mean "to give an order to somebody"? Are both usual?
Example:
There is no difference in meaning but a significant one in usage.
Ordonner is strong and what would be used for a demand1. An alternative would be:
Le professeur a donné l'ordre de se taire à l'élève.
Commander à quelqu'un de faire quelque chose is an outdated, literary way to express the same but unlikely to be used in modern French.
1 Beware that demander just means "to ask", not "to demand".
There is no difference; "commander (à qqn) de + inf." and "Ordonner de + inf. (à qqn.)" are synonyms.