G26 · Asking not to: 〜ないで

Before you start

The sentences only use words you already know from hiragana, katakana and the beginner level.

This lesson assumes what you saw in the earlier ones. If something feels shaky, go back to it:

• G01build sentences with は and です
• G02ask and answer
• G03say what something is not
• G04say whose something is
• G05point at things and ask what they are
• G06say «also»
• G07say what you do
• G08say no and talk about the past
• G09say where you go
• G10say where you do something
• G11describe things and say they aren't
• G12describe with な-adjectives and before a noun
• G13say what there is and where
• G14ask and say where something is
• G15talk about what was
• G16ask politely
• G17say what is happening now
• G18say what you want to do
• G19say what you do first
• G20invite and suggest plans
• G21ask for and give permission
• G22say what is not allowed
• G23compare two things
• G24ask and say which of two
• G25give reasons and add «but»

What you learn

〜ないで ください

The ない-form is the plain negative: -ru verbs change る to ない (たべない); the others move their last syllable to the a row (のむ → のまない; う → わ: かう → かわない). する → しない, くる → こない. With で + ください it asks someone not to do something: たべないで ください.

• ここで たべないで ください。koko de tabenaide kudasai.Please don't eat here.
• テレビを みないで ください。terebi o minaide kudasai.Please don't watch TV.
• コーヒーを のまないで ください。koohii o nomanaide kudasai.Please don't drink coffee.
• えいごを はなさないで ください。eigo o hanasanaide kudasai.Please don't speak English.
• ここに かかないで ください。koko ni kakanaide kudasai.Please don't write here.
• あした こないで ください。ashita konaide kudasai.Please don't come tomorrow.

Practice

A short text written only with the kana and grammar you already know. Read it and answer.