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Minna No Nihongo Grammar Lesson 33
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Imperative and prohibitive forms
1) How to make imperative form of verbs
Group I: Change the last sound of the ます-form into the sound of the え-line.
Group II: Attach ろto the ます-form.
Group III: しますbecomesしろ, and きますbecomes こい.
[Note] Non-volitional verbs such as わかる, できる, ある, etc., do not have imperative forms.2) How to make the prohibitive form of verbs
With every verb, attach なto the dictionary form.
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Use of the imperative and prohibitive forms.
1) The imperative form is used to force a person to do something and the prohibitive form is used to command a person not to do something. Both the imperative and prohibitive forms have strong coercive connotations, so much so that the use of these forms alone or at the end of an imperative sentence is very limited. In colloquial expressions, the use of either form is, in most cases, limited to male speakers.
2) Both the imperative and prohibitive forms are used alone or at the end of a sentence in the following instances:
– By a man senior in status or age to a person junior to him, or by a father to his child.
早く寝ろ。 Go to bed immediately.
遅れるな。 Don’t be late.
– Between men who are friends. In this case, the particleよ is often attached at the end of the sentence to soften the tone.
あしたうちへ来い[よ]。 Come to my house tomorrow.
あまり飲むな[よ]。 Don’t drink too much.
– When there is not enough time to be very polite; e.g., when giving instructions to a large number of people in a factory or during an emergency, etc. Even in this case, they may be used only by men senior in status or age.
逃げろ。 Run.
エレベーターを使うな。 Don’t use the elevator.
– When a command is required during training many people or making students take exercise at schools and sport clubs.
休め。 Rest.
休むな。 Don’t rest.
– When cheering at sporting events. In this case the expressions below are sometimes used by women as well.
頑張れ。 Fight!
負けるな。 Don’t lose!
– When a strong impact or brevity is required, as in traffic sign or in slogan.
止まれ。 Stop.
入るな。 Don’t enter.
[Note] Vます-form なさいis another imperative style. It is used by parents to their children or by teachers to their students and is a little gentler than the imperative form. So women use in this style instead of the imperative form. Yet it is not used when speaking to a senior.勉強しなさい。 Study.
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～と読みますand～と書いてあります
あの漢字は何と読むんですか。
How do you read that Kanji?
あそこに「止まれ｣と書いてあります。
“Tomare” is written over there.
とabove indicates the content in the same way as とof～といいます (Lesson 21).
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X はY という意味です
“X” means “Y”
This pattern is used to define the meaning of the word represented by “X” .という comes from といいます. The interrogativeどういう is used to ask the meaning.
「立入禁止」は入るなという意味です。
“Tachiiri-Kinshi” means don’t enter.
このマークはどういう意味ですか。
洗濯機で洗えるという意味です。
What does this sign mean?
It means machine washable.
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“ S “ と言っていました
plain formと言っていました
～といいましたis used when quoting a third person’s words (Lesson 21), while ～といっていましたis used when conveying a third person’s message.
田中さんは「あした休みました」と言っていました。
Mr. Tanaka said, “I will take a day off work tomorrow.”
田中さんはあした休むと言っていました。
Mr. Tanaka said that he would take a day off work tomorrow.
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“ S “ と伝えていただけませんか
plain formと伝えていただけませんか
These expressions are used when politely asking someone to convey a message.
ワンさんに「あとで電話をください」と伝えていただけませんか。
Could you please tell Mr. Wang to give me a call later?
すみませんが、渡辺さんにあしたのパーティーは６時からだと伝えていただけませんか。
Could you please tell Ms. Watanabe that the party tomorrow will be from 6 o’clock?
Related Post:
Minna No Nihongo Grammar Lesson 34
Minna No Nihongo Lesson 33 Vocabulary
