1. Basic structure
| Form | Structure | Meaning | Example |
|---|
| Verb in ない-form | Vないでください | Please don't… / Please do not… | ここでタバコを吸わないでください。
Please don't smoke here. |
2. Main meanings & detailed analysis
- Expresses a polite request for someone not to do an action.
- It is the negative form of ～てください (please do…), meaning "please don't do...".
- Used to give a mild command or a polite reminder in conversation, instructions, or rules.
- Mainly used with listeners of equal or lower status (such as friends, students, customers, etc.).
3. Example sentences
- ここに入らないでください。
Please don't enter here. - このボタンを押さないでください。
Please don't press this button. - 私の話を途中で止めないでください。
Please don't interrupt me midway. - 夜遅くテレビを見ないでください。
Please don't watch TV late at night. - 泣かないでください。
Please don't cry.
4. Usage & nuance
- More polite and gentle than “～な！” (a rough command).
- Often used in signs, instructions, or when asking someone to avoid doing something.
- In casual speech, it can be softened to ～ないでね or ～ないで.
例：そんなこと言わないでね。→ Don't say that, okay. - Not used with nouns or adjectives – only with verbs.
5. Comparison & distinctions
| Pattern | Meaning | Difference | Example |
|---|
| Vてください | Please do… | Requests that the action be performed | ここに座ってください。 |
| Vないでください | Please don't do… | Requests that the action not be performed | ここに座らないでください。 |
| Vるな | Prohibited / Don't do it! (rough, commanding) | Imperative form, used toward subordinates or in strong warnings | 触るな！ (Don't touch!) |
6. Additional notes
- In notices and public signs, you often see:
～しないでください or ～は禁止です (Prohibited).
- When you want to sound softer, you can use:
～ないようにしてください (Please try not to...).
- At the JLPT N5 level, this is a basic pattern to express a polite negative request.
7. Variations & common phrases
- ～ないでね: Don't do it, okay? (casual).
- ～しないでくださいね: Please don't do it, okay? (polite, gentle).
- ～ないようにしてください: Please try not to... (more formal).
8. Common mistakes & JLPT pitfalls
- Incorrect ない-form conjugation: 話す → 話さないでください (correct), 話しないでください (incorrect).
- Confusing it with the imperative “～な！” (rough, impolite).
- Forgetting 「で」: ✕ 行かないください → ○ 行かないでください.
- JLPT N5 often tests: choosing the correct polite negative request structure between ～てください and ～ないでください.
Sentence Connection & Linking
