Mistral (Le Chat / Vibe) prompt guide

How to prompt Mistral (Le Chat / Vibe)

1. Open with 'You are a [role]; your task is to [task]'.
2. Describe the outcome you want, not the procedure; Work mode plans the steps itself.
3. Name the sources or tools to use (attached files, connected apps, the web).
4. State the audience and constraints: length, tone, format, deadline.
5. Organise longer prompts into clearly labelled Markdown or XML sections.
6. Use objective measures ('under 200 words', '3 bullets') instead of subjective words like 'short' or 'interesting'.
7. Avoid contradictory rules; if behaviour depends on conditions, spell it out as if/then.
8. Prefer word-based scales ('Low/Medium/High') to numeric ratings.
9. Don't ask it to count words or produce exact long lengths.
10. Switch to Think for planning, maths or multi-factor decisions; use Research for cited reports and be specific about region and timeframe.
11. Reference saved Skills with @ for repeatable methods or templates.

The shape of a good prompt

You are a [role]; your task is to [task].
## Context
[background, attached files or connectors to use]
## Audience
[who reads it]
## Constraints
[length, tone, deadline, rules as if/then]
## Output
[format, sections, word-based scales]

Avoid

• Subjective size or quality words ('too long', 'interesting')
• Contradictory instructions without clear priority
• Numeric rating scales
• Asking for exact word counts
• Step-by-step micromanagement of Work mode

Example

Request make a one page brief on electric bikes for my team

You are a market analyst; your task is to produce a one-page brief on the European e-bike market.

## Context
Research the web for sources from the last 18 months. My team is deciding whether to stock e-bikes in our UK bike shops.

## Audience
Shop managers with no analyst background.

## Constraints
- Under 400 words
- Plain, neutral tone
- If data is UK-specific, prefer it; otherwise use EU data and say so

## Output
Sections: Market size and growth, Top-selling categories, Price bands, Risks, Recommendation. Rate overall opportunity as Low, Medium or High and cite sources for each figure.