Hello Everyone ( ^^)/,
In this lesson we are going to see the construction and use of the てください and ないでください forms to express do’s and don’ts. Let’s go!
But first, if you haven’t read them, or if their knowledge seems a bit too far or obscure to you, have a look at our How to build the て form and How to build the ない form lessons…
Do, please
Construction:
- て form + ください
Usage:
The -てください form (also -て下さい with kanji) is used to request someone to do something and translates roughly to the English “… please” or “Could you please …”.
Examples:
- 飲む (のむ) / to drink /
- て form: 飲んで (のんで)
- て下さい form: 飲んで下さい (のんで ください) / Drink, please. /
Exercises:
Put the following sentences at the てください form:
- 食べる (たべる) / to eat /
- ドアを開ける (ドア を あける) / to open the door /
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Answers:
- 食べて下さい (たべて ください) / Eat, please. /
- ドアを開けて下さい (ドア を あけて ください) / Could you please open the door. /
Don’t do, please
Construction:
- verb’s ない form + でください
Usage:
The -ないでください form (also -ないで下さい with kanji) is used to request someone to not do something and translates roughly to the English “Don’t/Stop …, please”, or “Could you please stop/not …”.
Examples:
- 歌う (うたう) / to sing /
- 歌わないで下さい (うたわないで ください) / don’t sing, please /
Exercises:
Put the following verbs at the negative て form:
- 飲む (のむ) / to drink /
- 食べる (たべる) / to eat /
- 帰る (かえる) / to go/come back /
- 吸う (すう) / to smoke /
Answers:
- 飲ままいで下さい (のまないで ください) / don’t drink, please. /
- 食べないで下さい (たべないで ください) / don’t eat, please /
- 帰らないで下さい (かえらないで ください) / don’t go back, please /
- 吸わないで下さい (すわないで ください) / don’t smoke, please /
This is it for today! I hope you appreciated this lesson. Do not hesitate to share your feedback!
Stéphane
Previous lessons:
- Introduction to Japanese verbs, the present/future plain and ます forms.
- The past tense ました and た forms.
- The present/future negative ません and なし forms.
- The past negative ません でした and なかった forms.
- The て form and building sequence of actions.
