タグ: prohibitive form

What we are learning today is not utterances to say in ordinary situations. These words sound rough to a listener because they are kinds of orders, warnings, and prohibitions. Probably it is rare for Japanese learners to say these words, but it is necessary to understand as preparation against emergency situations.

<1> Orders using Imperative form

1. Nigero. (Run away.)

The verb “Nigeru/Nigemasu” is of Group 2, whose Imperative form is “Nigero”

2. Nihon no Houritsu o Mamore. (Obey the Japanese law.)

Houritsu is a noun for “law”. The verb “Mamoru/Mamorimasu” is of Group1-R, whose Imperative form is “Mamore”. “Nihon no Houritsu ni Shitagae. (Follow the Japanese law)” is also okay.

3. Shizukani Shiro (Be quiet.)

The construction of this sentence is “[Stem of Na-adj] ni [V-imp]. “Shiro” is the Imperative form of Group2 verb “Suru/Shimasu”.

<2> Prohibitions using Prohibitive form

4. Ugokuna. (Don’t move.)

A Prohibitive form can be made just putting “na” behind a dictionary form. “Ugoku/Ugokimasu” is an intransitive verb to mean “move”. The English verb “move” can be both intransitive and transitive verbs, but in Japanese, intransitive and transitive verbs are different. Ugoku/Ugokimasu is intransitive, and Ugokasu/Ugokashimasu is transitive.

5. Combini no Chuushajou de Sawaguna. (Don’t make any noise in the convenience store parking lot.)  

“Sawagu/Sawagimasu” is a verb meaning making noise by laughing and shouting loudly.

6. Jugyou-chuu ni Shaberuna. (Don’t chat during the class.)

“Shaberu/Shaberimasu” is a verb meaning saying something. In the sentence 5, “de” of “Chuushajou de” is marking “a place”, while in this sentence 6, “ni” of “Jugyou-chuu ni” is marking “time”.

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This post was written with reference to the exercise A2 on Section33 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”

Two new verb conjugations are introduced in the section 33. They are Imperative Form and Prohibitive Form. A verb in these conjugations is used when someone gives you a command to do or not to do something. It is important to know that a verb in Imperative form or in Prohibitive form sound rough because it is an order or a warning in most of the cases from superiors to subordinates. Therefore, it is better for a Japanese learner not to use but to know them in order for him/her to be able to understand a command or a warning that Japanese people give in a severe situation.

In the following, verbs are shown in the order of;

Dictionary-form/Masu-form — Imperative form — Prohibitive form.

<Group 2 verbs>

Miru/Mimasu (see, watch, look at) — Miro — Miruna

Yameru/Yamemasu (stop, quit a job) — Yamero — Yameruna

Suteru/Sutemasu (throw away, dump) — Sutero — Suteruna

<Group 3 verbs>

Kuru/Kimasu (come to this side) — Koi — Kuruna

Suru/Shimasu (do) — Shiro — Suruna

<Group 1 verbs>

– Gr1-W; Iu/Iimasu (say, tell) — Ie — Iuna

– Gr1-K; Iku/Ikimasu (go there) — Ike — Ikuna

– Gr1-G; Oyogu/Oyogimasu (swim) — Oyoge — Oyoguna

– Gr1-S; Dasu/Dashimasu (put out) — Dase — Dasuna

– Gr1-T; Tatsu/Tachimasu (stand up) — Tate — Tatsuna

– Gr1-B; Asobu/Asobimasu (play for fun) — Asobe — Asobuna

– Gr1-M; Nomu/Nomimasu (drink) — Nome — Nomuna

– Gr1-R; Toru/Torimasu (take) — Tore — Toruna

It is obvious that Prohibitive form can be made by putting “na” behind of dictionary form. As for Imperative form, Group1 verbs end with “-e”. And of the Group1 verbs, Gr1-R is always confusing with Group2 verbs for conjugations. Gr1-R verbs end with “-re”, while Group2 verbs end with “-ro”.

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This post was written with reference to the exercise A1 on Section33 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”