Lesson 40: 外に 出ないで ください

N5 · Lesson 40 · 18 min — The verb “don't…” + polite “Please don't…”

You already know how to say “Please do…” (〜て ください). This lesson goes the other way. First you learn the verb's “don't…” form, the ない-form. Then you use it to say “Please don't…”. The changes follow the three verb groups from Lesson 34. The most important new rule: verbs ending in う change to わ! Let's read the comic first!

After this lesson, you can:

• Change verbs into the ない-form: 飲のむ → 飲のまない, 買かう → 買かわない, 来くる → 来こない
• Understand verbs that mean “don't…”: でんきが つかない (The light doesn't turn on)
• Politely ask someone “Please don't…”, and understand announcements and signs: 外そとに 出でないで ください。

Typhoon Night

It's a typhoon night in September, and Rin is alone in his dorm. Grandpa's letter is on the table by the window. Neko-sensei's puddings are stored in the fridge... (外そと = outside; でんき = electric light; つく = to turn on; 停電ていでん = power outage; ぬらす = to make wet)

ない-form = the verb's “don't…”. Add で ください and you get “Please don't…”. Handy fact: during a power outage, open the fridge as little as you can so the food stays cold. Neko-sensei just has a different reason. Next lesson: Rin wants a part-time job, and there are so many things he “must do”!

Words for this lesson: useful on a typhoon night

• 外そと (soto): outside
• 出でる (deru): to go out, to leave
• 停電ていでん (teiden): power outage
• 電気でんき (denki): electric light, electricity
• つく (tsuku): (light, power) to turn on
• 窓まど (mado): window
• 手紙てがみ (tegami): letter
• ぬらす (nurasu): to make (something) wet
• 冷蔵庫れいぞうこ (reizōko): refrigerator
• 開あける (akeru): to open (a door, window, fridge)
• プリン (purin): pudding
• 心配しんぱい (shinpai): worry
• 使つかう (tsukau): to use
• さわる (sawaru): to touch

Grammar 1 / 2: ない-form

ない-form: the verb's “don't…” (casual style)

• What is the ない-form?: The ない-form is the verb's “don't…”. It is the casual version of 〜ません: 飲のみません = 飲のまない (don't drink). You hear it when people talk to themselves or among family and friends: でんきが つかない。 (The light doesn't turn on.) With teachers and shop staff, you still say 〜ません. Casual talk with friends is covered properly in Lesson 44.
• Group Ⅰ: う-row → あ-row + ない: Change the last う-row sound of the dictionary form into the あ-row sound of the same row, then add ない: 行いく→行いかない, 待まつ→待またない, 飲のむ→飲のまない, 帰かえる→帰かえらない, ぬらす→ぬらさない.
• Verbs ending in う: change to わ, not あ: For Group Ⅰ verbs whose dictionary form ends in う, change it to わ + ない: 買かう→買かわない, 使つかう→使つかわない. If you say かあない, Japanese people may not understand you! This is the most important new rule in this lesson.
• Group Ⅱ: る → ない; Group Ⅲ: memorize them whole: For Group Ⅱ, replace る with ない: 食たべる→食たべない, 見みる→見みない, 開あける→開あけない, 出でる→出でない. Group Ⅲ has only two verbs: する→しない and 来くる→来こない (く becomes こ!). 勉強べんきょうする→勉強べんきょうしない works the same way.
• You can also change from the ます-form: The ます-form of a Group Ⅰ verb has an い-row sound before ます. Just swap it for the あ-row sound: 飲のみます→飲のまない, 買かいます→買かわない (い → わ). This trick works for Group Ⅰ only. Also, the ない-form of あります is special. It is simply ない: じかんが ない。 (I have no time. じかん = time)

• 飲のむ → 飲のまない — drink → don't drink (Group Ⅰ: む → ま)
• 買かう → 買かわない — buy → don't buy (う ending → わ!)
• 帰かえる → 帰かえらない — go home → don't go home (Group Ⅰ: る → ら)
• 見みる → 見みない — see → don't see (Group Ⅱ: る → ない)
• 来くる → 来こない — come → don't come (Group Ⅲ: memorize it whole)
• きょうは コーヒーを 飲のまない。 — I'm not drinking coffee today. (to a friend)
• でんきが つかない。 — The light doesn't turn on. (to yourself)

Grammar 2 / 2: ないでください

ない-form + で ください: politely say “Please don't…”

• How to make it: ない-form + で + ください: Make the ない-form first, then add で ください: 飲のむ → 飲のまない → 飲のまないで ください (Please don't drink). Note that it is で (with two small marks), not て.
• When do you use it?: Use it to politely ask someone not to do something. Shop staff, teachers, announcements and signs use it most. On the typhoon night, Rin hears the TV tell everyone: 外そとに 出でないで ください。
• A pair with 〜て ください: 開あけて ください = Please open it; 開あけないで ください = Please don't open it. One asks you to do it, the other asks you not to. The second half of the sentence is exactly the same.
• Compare with 〜ては いけません: 〜ては いけません means “it's not allowed (by the rules)”, and sounds firmer. 〜ないで ください means “I'm asking you not to”, and sounds softer. When you remind friends or guests, 〜ないで ください is less likely to upset them.
• Adding a reason sounds more natural: You can give a reason first with から: あぶないですから、さわらないで ください。 (It's dangerous, so please don't touch it. あぶない = dangerous) If someone says this to you, just answer 「はい、わかりました。」 or 「すみません。」

• 外そとに 出でないで ください。 — Please don't go out.
• ここで しゃしんを とらないで ください。 — Please don't take photos here.
• 窓まどを 開あけないで ください。 — Please don't open the window.
• 手紙てがみを ぬらさないで ください。 — Please don't get the letter wet.
• この ペンを 使つかわないで ください。 — Please don't use this pen. (使つかう → 使つかわない)
• あぶないですから、さわらないで ください。 — It's dangerous, so please don't touch it. (あぶない = dangerous)
• 心配しんぱい しないで ください。 — Please don't worry.