Japanese Verb Prohibitive Form

V-するな・動詞禁止形・どうしきんしけい

1. What is the Prohibitive Form?

The prohibitive form (きんしけい) is used to express the prohibition of an action, similar to "Don't ～" in English. It is utilized to instruct someone not to do something and is commonly found in commands, warnings, or rules regarding prohibitions.

2. Construction of the Prohibitive Form

The prohibitive form is typically constructed by adding 「な」 to the verb stem. The method of forming the prohibitive form varies slightly depending on the verb type (Group 1, Group 2, or irregular verbs).

2.1 Group 1 Verbs (五段動詞)

For Group 1 verbs, simply add 「な」 to the verb in its dictionary form.

Verb Ending	Prohibitive Form Change	Example (Dictionary Form)	Example (Prohibitive Form)
～う	→ ～うな	会う（あう）	会うな（あうな）
～つ	→ ～つな	待つ（まつ）	待つな（まつな）
～る	→ ～るな	取る（とる）	取るな（とるな）
～む	→ ～むな	飲む（のむ）	飲むな（のむな）
～ぬ	→ ～ぬな	死ぬ（しぬ）	死ぬな（しぬな）
～ぶ	→ ～ぶな	遊ぶ（あそぶ）	遊ぶな（あそぶな）
～く	→ ～くな	書く（かく）	書くな（かくな）
～ぐ	→ ～ぐな	泳ぐ（およぐ）	泳ぐな（およぐな）
～す	→ ～すな	話す（はなす）	話すな（はなすな）

2.2 Group 2 Verbs (一段動詞)

For Group 2 verbs, remove the final 「る」 from the verb in its dictionary form and then add 「な」.

Verb Ending	Prohibitive Form Change	Example (Dictionary Form)	Example (Prohibitive Form)
～る	→ ～るな	食べる（たべる）	食べるな（たべるな）
		見る（みる）	見るな（みるな）

2.3 Irregular Verbs

Irregular verbs have their own specific changes.

Verb	Prohibitive Form Change	Example (Dictionary Form)	Example (Prohibitive Form)
する	→ するな	する	するな
来る（くる）	→ 来るな	来る（くる）	来るな（くるな）

3. Examples of Prohibitive Form

Here are some common contexts for using the prohibitive form:

Public Instructions:
- ここでタバコを吸うな。
  (Don't smoke here.)
Warnings to Friends:
- 危ない！触るな！
  (Danger! Don't touch!)
School or Workplace Rules:
- 遅刻するな。
  (Don't be late.)

4. Points to Note

The prohibitive form is quite direct and is mainly used for commands or warnings, so it's important to consider the context to avoid sounding too harsh or impolite.
In more polite situations, the prohibitive form is typically avoided, and phrases like 「～ないでください」 are used to express prohibitions. For example: ここでタバコを吸わないでください (Please do not smoke here).

5. Summary

The prohibitive form of Japanese verbs is used to instruct others not to perform a certain action and is primarily applied in commands or warnings. While the prohibitive form is direct, there are more polite expressions available. Mastering the prohibitive form can help you better understand and engage in both formal and informal Japanese conversations.