modality N5 essential polite teineigo (polite)

てはいけません — must not ~ (polite)

てはいけません
Builds on てはいけない

Meaning

Key sentence

You must not take photos here.

Formation

Attaches toFormExample
Verb (て-form) V-て + はいけません 入はいる → 入はいって → 入はいってはいけません

When: The polite form of てはいけない — common on signs, in rules, and from someone in authority (teacher, official).

Variants

ちゃいけません — casual contraction of ては → ちゃ: 入はいっちゃいけません.

Examples

You must not use your phone during class.
You must not walk on the grass.
You must not tell lies.

Easily confused with

〜てはいけない Same prohibition; てはいけません is the polite (です・ます) form, てはいけない the plain form. 〜な (prohibitive) Both forbid, at opposite ends of the politeness scale: てはいけません is polite; the bare 〜な (入はいるな) is a blunt, often male, command.

See てはいけません in real sentences

Jengo shows てはいけません 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.

← Back to the grammar tree