# ないでください: please don’t do > Learn how to use ないでください, a JLPT N5 Japanese grammar point meaning please don’t do, with structure, nuance, examples, mistakes, and comparisons. JLPT level: N5 · Updated: 2026-05-17 · Canonical: https://hane-app.com/blog/n5-naide-kudasai/ **ないでください** means **please don’t do**. It is a **JLPT N5** Japanese grammar pattern used to politely ask someone not to do an action. This grammar point appears often in beginner conversations, classroom Japanese, and JLPT-style questions. If you want to make negative requests in Japanese, **ないでください** is a useful pattern to learn because it helps you build natural basic sentences. ## What does ないでください mean? Use **ないでください** when you want to tell someone not to do something politely. Natural translations include: - please do not - please don’t - do not The exact English translation changes with context. Focus on the role of the grammar point in the sentence first, then choose the English phrase that sounds natural. ## How to form ないでください Verb negative stem + **ないでください** Examples of the pattern: - 行かないでください - 食べないでください - 忘れないでください Pay attention to the word form before and after the pattern. Many beginner mistakes happen because the meaning is understood, but the grammar is attached to the wrong form. ## When is ないでください used? Use **ないでください** in situations like: - polite warnings - requests not to do something - classroom or public instructions Tone and register: - polite but can still sound direct - Common in daily speech, textbook examples, and beginner JLPT questions ## ないでください example sentences - ここで写真を撮らないでください。 — Please do not take pictures here. - 忘れないでください。 — Please do not forget. - この部屋に入らないでください。 — Please do not enter this room. - 大きな声で話さないでください。 — Please do not speak loudly. - まだ食べないでください。 — Please do not eat yet. Read the Japanese sentence first, then check the English translation. Try to notice what the grammar point contributes: question, contrast, reason, time limit, suggestion, negation, or obligation. ## Nuance of ないでください The key nuance is **a polite negative request, not just a description**. This matters because beginner Japanese often uses small words and endings to show meaning that English expresses with word order or helper verbs. For **ないでください**, the sentence can change a lot depending on placement and context. For example: - In conversation, it sounds clear and directive. - Compared with **ちゃいけない・じゃいけない**, it feels request-like rather than rule-like. ## ないでください vs ちゃいけない・じゃいけない Both **ないでください** and **ちゃいけない・じゃいけない** can express related ideas, but they are different. **ないでください**: - asks the listener not to do something - uses ください to make a polite request **ちゃいけない・じゃいけない**: - states that something is not allowed - can sound like a rule or prohibition Quick contrast examples: - 写真を撮らないでください。— Please do not take pictures. - 写真を撮っちゃいけない。— You must not take pictures. If you are unsure which one to use, ask what the sentence is trying to do: ask a question, connect ideas, show a reason, mark time, make an invitation, or express obligation. ## Common mistakes with ないでください Watch out for these mistakes: - Using dictionary form before ないでください - Thinking it is always soft; it can still be a direct command - Confusing it with ないで used for “without doing” A good study habit is to write one short sentence and then change only the grammar point. This makes the difference between similar patterns easier to feel. ## Is ないでください on the JLPT? Yes. **ないでください** is commonly taught as **JLPT N5** grammar. That means learners should be able to: - recognize it in reading - understand its nuance in context - use it in simple original sentences For test preparation, do not only memorize the English gloss. Practice identifying the words around the grammar point, because JLPT questions often test structure and context together. ## Practice questions for ないでください Try making your own sentences with these prompts: - Ask someone not to enter. - Ask someone not to forget. - Ask someone not to speak loudly. Keep the sentences short at first. Once the form feels natural, add time words, places, reasons, or contrast to make the sentence more realistic. ## Learning path for ないでください Use **ないでください** as part of your **JLPT N5** request, permission, prohibition, and obligation grammar toolkit. Check the social force of the sentence: request, invitation, permission, prohibition, advice, or necessity. Then practice changing the ending to make the sentence softer, stronger, positive, or negative. A good review order is: first make one short sentence with **ないでください**, then compare it with [てください](/blog/n5-te-kudasai/), and finally add [てはいけない](/blog/n5-te-wa-ikenai/) or [ちゃいけない・じゃいけない](/blog/n5-cha-ikenai-ja-ikenai/) to see how the basic meaning changes. For practice, keep the sentence short: write one example with **ないでください**, one example with a different subject or time word, and one example that contrasts it with a related pattern below. ## Related grammar to review next - [てください](/blog/n5-te-kudasai/) — contrasts request, permission, prohibition, advice, and obligation strength. - [てはいけない](/blog/n5-te-wa-ikenai/) — contrasts request, permission, prohibition, advice, and obligation strength. - [ちゃいけない・じゃいけない](/blog/n5-cha-ikenai-ja-ikenai/) — contrasts request, permission, prohibition, advice, and obligation strength. - [なくてもいい](/blog/n5-naku-temo-ii/) — contrasts request, permission, prohibition, advice, and obligation strength. ## Learn ないでください with Hane If you want to review **ないでください** together with the related patterns above, [Hane](/) helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions. Browse more lessons here: - [All grammar lessons](/blog/) - [JLPT N5 grammar lessons](/blog/n5/)