auxiliary N5 essential polite teineigo (polite)

ないでください — please do not ~

ないでください
Builds on ないで ください

Meaning

Key sentence

Please don't leave your luggage here.

Formation

Attaches toFormExample
Verb (ない-form) V-ない + でください 置おく → 置おかない → 置おかないでください

Variants

ないで — drop ください for a casual request: 泣なかないで ('don't cry').

Examples

Please don't take photos.
Please don't eat it yet.
Please don't worry.

Easily confused with

〜てください Direct affirmative/negative pair: てください = 'please do ~'; ないでください = 'please don't ~'. 〜てはいけません ないでください is a polite request not to do something; てはいけません is a firmer prohibition stating a rule. Asking nicely vs forbidding.

See ないでください in real sentences

Jengo shows ないでください the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.

Study it in Jengo

Sources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar.

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