What is the Negative Imperative?
The negative imperative is how you bark "don't!" at someone in Japanese. Where the imperative form says "do it!", adding な after the dictionary form says "don't do it!" Same blunt energy, opposite direction.
And here's the best part: it's the simplest conjugation in all of Japanese. One rule, no exceptions, every verb group works the same way. Dictionary form + な. Done.
How to Form It
Take any verb in dictionary form and add な. That's it.
| Dictionary | Negative Imperative |
|---|---|
| 行く (iku) | 行くな |
| 食べる (taberu) | 食べるな |
| する (suru) | するな |
| 来る (kuru) | 来るな |
| 触る (sawaru) | 触るな |
| 泣く (naku) | 泣くな |
| 見る (miru) | 見るな |
| 諦める (akirameru) | 諦めるな |
U-verb, ru-verb, irregular -- doesn't matter. Same pattern every time.
Be Careful: な Has Multiple Meanings
The particle な does different things depending on where it sits:
-
Dictionary form + な = Don't do it! (negative imperative)
- 食べるな = Don't eat!
-
Sentence + な = Emphasis / seeking agreement (sentence-ending particle)
- おいしいな = It's tasty, huh.
Context and tone make the difference obvious in real conversation. The negative imperative な is sharp and forceful. The sentence-ending な is soft and reflective.
When Do People Use This?
Just like the imperative form, the negative imperative is direct and rough. You'll hear it in similar contexts:
Urgent warnings:
- 動くな！ (Don't move!)
Strong emotions:
- 嘘をつくな！ (Don't lie!)
Sports and competition:
- 負けるな！ (Don't lose!)
Anime, manga, and drama:
- 来るな！ (Don't come!)
Signs:
- 入るな (Do not enter)
Negative Imperative vs なさい vs ください
Japanese has a whole ladder of command strength. From roughest to gentlest:
| Form | Example | Tone |
|---|---|---|
| Negative imperative (するな) | 走るな | Rough, blunt |
| なさい (しなさい) | 走りなさい | Firm, authoritative |
| ないでください | 走らないでください | Polite request |
| ないで | 走らないで | Casual, gentle |
In most real-life situations, ないでください or ないで are what you want. The negative imperative is really only for when softness is beside the point. The ない form is the foundation for the politer patterns.
Example Sentences
-
触るな！ (sawaru na!)
Don't touch! -
ここで走るな。 (koko de hashiru na.)
Don't run here. -
諦めるな！ (akirameru na!)
Don't give up! -
余計なことをするな。 (yokei na koto wo suru na.)
Don't do anything unnecessary. -
そんなことを言うな。 (sonna koto wo iu na.)
Don't say things like that. -
俺を舐めるな。 (ore wo nameru na.)
Don't underestimate me. -
泣くな、大丈夫だ。 (naku na, daijoubu da.)
Don't cry, it's okay. -
二度と来るな！ (nido to kuru na!)
Don't ever come back!