Japanese has dedicated verb forms for commands and prohibitions. These aren't polite requests — they're strong, direct orders: "Do it!" and "Don't you dare!"
Imperative Form Conjugation Rules
Godan Verbs: u-row to e-row
Change the final syllable from the u-row to the e-row of the same column.
Ichidan Verbs: Drop る, add ろ
Irregular Verbs
Summary Table
When to Use the Imperative Form
The imperative is very strong. Its use is limited to specific situations:
1. Superior to Subordinate
A boss to an employee, coach to athlete, father to child:
早く宿題を書け。 → Write your homework now!
前を見ろ！ → Look ahead!
2. Emergencies
Regardless of relationship, the imperative is acceptable in urgent situations:
逃げろ！ → Run!
止まれ！ → Stop!
3. Cheering / Slogans
Common at sports events and in cheering:
頑張れ！ → Go for it!
走れ！ → Run!
4. To Animals
お座り！座れ！ → Sit! (to a dog)
In everyday conversation with friends, colleagues, or elders, don't use the imperative form. It comes across as extremely rude.
なさい — The Gentle Command
If the imperative is too harsh, use なさい for a softer tone:
Verb masu-stem + なさい
| Verb | Masu-form | なさい | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 書く | 書きます | 書きなさい | Write (please) |
| 食べる | 食べます | 食べなさい | Eat (please) |
| 起きる | 起きます | 起きなさい | Get up (please) |
| する | します | しなさい | Do it (please) |
Common situations:
- Mother to child: 「早く寝なさい。」→ Go to bed now.
- Teacher to student: 「静かにしなさい。」→ Be quiet.
- Test instructions: 「次の文を読みなさい。」→ Read the following passage.
なさい is commonly used by women and elders. It's much more polite than the bare imperative, but still carries a "I'm telling you to do this" nuance — it's not a request.
Prohibition Form — "Don't!"
The prohibition form is very simple:
Verb dictionary form + な
| Verb | Prohibition | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 行く | 行くな | Don't go! |
| 食べる | 食べるな | Don't eat! |
| する | するな | Don't do it! |
| 来る | 来るな (くるな) | Don't come! |
| 吸う | 吸うな | Don't smoke! |
Usage
Like the imperative, the tone is very strong:
ここでタバコを吸うな。 → Don't smoke here!
ここで食べたりするな。 → Don't eat here!
余計なことを言うな。 → Don't say unnecessary things!
Signs and Notices
Public prohibition signs often use this form:
入るな → Do not enter 触るな → Do not touch 立ち入るな → Keep out
Other Ways to Express Prohibition
Besides 「〜な」, there are several other ways to express prohibition, with varying levels of politeness:
| Expression | Tone | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜な | Very strong | 食べるな！ Don't eat! |
| 〜てはいけない | Rule/regulation | 食べてはいけません。 You must not eat. |
| 〜ないでください | Polite request | 食べないでください。 Please don't eat. |
| 〜ないで | Casual request | 食べないで。 Don't eat. |
From top to bottom, the tone goes from strongest to mildest. In daily conversation, 「〜ないでください」and「〜ないで」are used most often.
Imperative and Prohibition Pairs
Let's see imperative and prohibition side by side:
| Imperative | Prohibition |
|---|---|
| 書け！ Write! | 書くな！ Don't write! |
| 食べろ！ Eat! | 食べるな！ Don't eat! |
| しろ！ Do it! | するな！ Don't do it! |
| 来い！ Come! | 来るな！ Don't come! |
Note the difference: the imperative uses a conjugated form, while the prohibition uses the dictionary form plus な. Don't mix them up.
Summary
- Imperative: godan u→e, ichidan drop る+ろ, する→しろ, 来る→来い
- なさい = masu-stem + なさい — a gentler command
- Prohibition = dictionary form + な — means "don't do it"
- Both the imperative and prohibition are strong in tone — use sparingly in daily conversation
- Common alternatives: てください (request), てはいけない (rule-based prohibition), ないでください (polite prohibition)
Practice Questions
Q1. Give the imperative and prohibition forms of 「食べる」.
Show Answer
Imperative: 食べろ (Eat!) Prohibition: 食べるな (Don't eat!)
Ichidan verb: imperative drops る and adds ろ; prohibition uses dictionary form plus な.
Q2. What's the difference between 「早く宿題を書きなさい」 and 「早く宿題を書け」?
Show Answer
Both command someone to write their homework quickly, but 書きなさい is softer, typically used by a mother to a child or teacher to student. 書け is very blunt and forceful, like a father scolding a child or a boss ordering a subordinate.
Q3. Say "Don't smoke here" in three different levels of politeness.
Show Answer
- ここでタバコを吸うな。 (Very strong prohibition)
- ここでタバコを吸ってはいけません。 (Rule/regulation style)
- ここでタバコを吸わないでください。 (Polite request)