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JLPT N4 grammar comparison

Prohibitive form (〜な) "Don't!" vs 〜なさい "do (polite command)"

By Nihongo PathUpdated

The difference

From the Prohibitive form (〜な) "Don't!" lesson

〜なさい "do (polite command)": ます-stem + な (行きな) is a shortened なさい and means "go", the opposite of 行くな.

From the 〜なさい "do (polite command)" lesson

Prohibitive form (〜な) "Don't!": 食べるな (don't eat) attaches to the dictionary form; the shortened なさい 食べな (eat) attaches to the ます-stem. Opposite meanings.

Side by side

Prohibitive form (〜な) "Don't!"

kinshi-kei (-na) · JLPT N4

Meaning
Blunt prohibition.
Formation
Dictionary form + な: 行く→行くな, 食べる→食べるな, する→するな, 来る→来るなWorks the same for all three groups (no conjugation change)Polite prohibition: 〜ないでくださいDo not confuse with ます-stem + な (食べな = casual "eat", from 食べなさい)

  1. ここに入るな。

    ここに はいるな。

    Don't enter here.

  2. 遅刻するなと言われました。

    ちこくするなと いわれました。

    I was told not to be late.

Full lesson on Prohibitive form (〜な) "Don't!"

〜なさい "do (polite command)"

nasai · JLPT N4

Meaning
Command used by parents to children, teachers to students, and in exam/textbook instructions.
Formation
V-ます stem + なさい: 食べる → 食べなさい, 書く → 書きなさい, 起きる → 起きなさいGroup 3: する → しなさい, 来る → 来なさい (きなさい)Casual shortening: ます-stem + な: 食べな, 行きな (not the prohibitive 食べるな)No negative form: use 〜ないで / 〜てはいけません / 〜るなFixed expressions: お帰りなさい, お休みなさい, ごめんなさい

  1. 早く寝なさい。

    はやく ねなさい。

    Go to bed early.

  2. 次の質問に答えなさい。

    つぎの しつもんに こたえなさい。

    Answer the following questions.

Full lesson on 〜なさい "do (polite command)"

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between Prohibitive form (〜な) "Don't!" and 〜なさい "do (polite command)"?

ます-stem + な (行きな) is a shortened なさい and means "go", the opposite of 行くな.

When do you use 〜なさい "do (polite command)" instead of Prohibitive form (〜な) "Don't!"?

食べるな (don't eat) attaches to the dictionary form; the shortened なさい 食べな (eat) attaches to the ます-stem. Opposite meanings.