Grammar Info

N5 Lesson 9: 6/13

～ないで下(くだ)さい

Please don't (Polite request)

In casual speech, ください can be omitted, resulting in the request finishing in で

Structure

Verb［ないで］+ ください
Politeness Levels

Details

  • Part of Speech

    Expression

  • Word Type

    Auxiliary Verb

  • Register

    Polite

  • 品詞

    表現

  • 単語の種類

    助動詞

  • 使用域

    敬語

About ないでください

ないでください is an expression that is used to politely ask someone 'not' to do something. It is a combination of the casual negative form of a verb, the で particle, and ください (the conjunctive form of くださる).
  • これは誰(だれ)にも言(い)わないでください。
    Please don't tell this to anyone.
  • そこには座(すわ)らないでください。
    Please don't sit there.
ください is classified as honorific language, a type of polite speech that is used to refer to the actions of other people. The ください form of くださる is used almost exclusively for making requests. くださる is the honorific language equivalent of くれる.
In friendly conversation, ください may be omitted from this expression, and the で form itself can be used as a very casual way of saying 'please don't do (A)'.
  • それ、お兄(にい)ちゃんのだから、食(た)べないで。
    Because that's my older brother's, please don't eat it.
  • 後(あと)で電話(でんわ)するから寝(ね)ないでよ。
    Because I'm going to call you later, please don't sleep.
Caution
Although ください is the polite form of くれる, ください is considered the base form of this phrase, and ないでくれ (the conjunctive form of くれる) would be considered far too casual in most situations.

Examples

  • 行(い)かないでください。

    Please don't go.

  • ここでサッカーをしないでください。

    Please don't play soccer here.

  • 泣(な)かないでください。

    Please don't cry.

  • 一人(ひとり)にしないでください。

    Please don't leave me alone.

  • それを食(た)べないでください。

    Please don't eat that.

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ないでください – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (8 in total)

  • Howl_UK

    Howl_UK

    Brace yourself. There are a ton of BunPro grammar points coming your way soon that mean ‘must/have to do’. Get ready to embrace the double negatives!

  • durtle9831

    durtle9831

    There is actually a really similar grammar point that explains the thing i got confused about in a broader application. Hope this helps someone.

    • ないで | Japanese Grammar SRS .
  • KrisV70

    KrisV70

    I often get this grammar point wrong ないでください
    て+は+いけません
    Is the construction I use.

    I am saying you mustn’t play soccer here if I understand it correctly.
    And it is still polite.

    What am I missing here?

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