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
Information
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 particle, and ください (the conjunctive form of くださる).
  • これ誰(だれ)言(い)わないでください
    Please don't tell this to anyone.
  • そこ座(すわ)らないでください
    Please don't sit there.
ください is classified as 尊敬語(そんけいご), 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 polite (sonkeigo) equivalent of くれる.
In friendly conversation, ください may be omitted from this expression, and the form itself can be used as a very casual way of saying ‘please don’t do (A)’.
  • それ、お兄(にい)ちゃんだから、食(た)べないで
    Because that's my older brother's, please don't eat it.
  • 後(あと)電話(でんわ)するから寝(ね)ないで
    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.
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行(い)かないでください
Please don’t go.
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ここサッカーないでください
Please don’t play soccer here.
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泣(な)かないでください
Please don’t cry.
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Books
Genki I
Page 157
Genki I 2nd Edition
Page 194
Marugoto Elementary 1 (A2) Rikai
Page 140
みんなの日本語 I
Page 110 [CH 17]
[DBJG] A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar
Page 209
Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
Page 179
[AIAIJ] An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
Page 53