Obligation & Prohibition

JLPT N4 Japanese self-study　·　~12 min　·　Must do ~ / Must not ~ / Don't ~

'You must submit this by Friday.' 'No running!' 'Eat your vegetables!' Japanese has multiple ways to express obligation and prohibition — from polite to direct.

What you'll learn

• 〜なければいけない / 〜なければならない: must do ~
• 〜ないといけない: must do ~ (colloquial)
• 〜てはいけない: must not ~ | 辞書形＋な: Don't ~! | 〜なさい: polite command

How to study “Obligation & Prohibition”

“Obligation & Prohibition” (Must do ~ / Must not ~ / Don't ~) is a JLPT N4 chapter of our free Japanese self-study course, about 12 min. You learn by doing — flashcard drills and fill-in-the-blank quizzes graded on the spot — completely free, with no sign-up and no ad wall. Once it clicks, read the matching in-depth explainer over in Grammar.