Japanese Commands: Imperative and Prohibitive Forms

While invitations are a gentle way to guide actions, sometimes you need to be more direct. Japanese has several ways to give commands and prohibit actions, ranging from polite requests to very strong, forceful orders. Choosing the right one is crucial for communicating effectively and appropriately.

Polite Request: 〜てください (te kudasai)

This is the first command form most people learn, and it's the most useful. It's a polite and safe way to ask someone to do something. You make it by using the て-form of a verb that you learned in lesson 5-1.

Strong Command: The Imperative Form

This form is a very strong, direct command. It sounds very harsh and demanding, so it's used in specific situations like emergencies, the military, or by fathers scolding their children in old movies. You should avoid using it in normal conversation.

• Group 1: Change the final 'u' vowel to an 'e' vowel. (e.g., 書く → 書け)
• Group 2: Change the final る to ろ. (e.g., 食べる → 食べろ)
• Group 3: する → しろ, 来る → 来い

Prohibitions (Don't do...)

Just as there are different ways to give commands, there are different ways to forbid actions.

Polite Prohibition: 〜ないでください (naide kudasai)

This is the polite way to say "Please don't do...". You use the verb's ない-form and add でください.

Strong Prohibition: Verb + な (na)

This is the strong, casual prohibition, equivalent to the imperative command. It's used in similar situations (emergencies, signs, etc.). You simply add な (na) to the dictionary form of the verb.