Imperative & Prohibition (命令形 / 〜な): Blunt Commands
What it means
The imperative form (命令形, meirei-kei) is a one-word, no-politeness command — "Go!", "Eat!", "Stop!". It feels strong and rough, and in conversation it sounds masculine and a bit aggressive. You'll meet it most in orders from a superior, on signs, in sports and cheering, in set phrases, and when someone is angry. Its partner is the prohibition な: dictionary form + な means "Don't do that!"
早く来い！
はやく こい！
Come here, now!
来る → 来い (こい), the irregular imperative.
ヤッタン、まだ食べるな！
ヤッタン、まだ たべるな！
Yattan, don't eat yet!
食べる + な = prohibition.
How to form it
The imperative follows the same verb groups you already know:
| Verb type | Rule | Example |
|---|---|---|
| う-verbs (Group 1) | final u-sound → e-sound | 行く → 行け / 飲む → 飲め / 待つ → 待て |
| る-verbs (Group 2) | drop る, add ろ | 食べる → 食べろ / 見る → 見ろ |
| する | irregular | する → しろ (formal: せよ) |
| 来る | irregular | 来る → 来い (こい) |
For prohibition, it's much simpler — there's no conjugation at all. Take the plain dictionary form and tack on な:
| Verb | Prohibition | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 行く | 行くな | Don't go |
| 見る | 見るな | Don't look |
| する | するな | Don't do it |
| 来る | 来るな | Don't come |
When you actually hear the imperative
These forms are not for everyday politeness — they show up in specific, high-energy or top-down situations.
負けるな、ヤッタン！
まけるな、ヤッタン！
Don't lose, Yattan!
Cheering at a match — な prohibition with a supportive feel.
先生は「静かにしろ」と言った。
せんせいは「しずかに しろ」と いった。
The teacher said, 'Be quiet.'
しろ from する — a sharp order, softened by quoting it.
ここに車を止めるな。
ここに くるまを とめるな。
Do not park your car here.
Sign language — short and impersonal.
Because the tone is so blunt, the imperative is often used inside a quote (〜と言った) when you report what someone ordered, even if you'd never say it that directly yourself.
Softer ways to give the same instruction
For real conversations, reach for gentler patterns instead of the bare imperative:
モチ、ちょっと待ってください。
モチ、ちょっと まって ください。
Mochi, please wait a moment.
〜てください is the normal polite request.
ヤッタンの弟、毎日漢字を勉強しなさい。
ヤッタンの おとうと、まいにち かんじを べんきょう しなさい。
Yattan's little brother, study kanji every day.
〜なさい is a firm but caring order — common from parents and teachers.
The form 〜なさい (made from the ます-stem + なさい: 勉強する → 勉強しなさい) is a step down in harshness from the imperative — still a command, but the kind a parent or teacher uses. For polite requests, 〜てください is your go-to.
Common mistakes
- Mixing up the two -na's. Prohibition な attaches to the dictionary form (行くな = "don't go"). The soft sentence-ender ね/な (行くなあ = "I think I'll go…") attaches to a complete sentence and just adds feeling. Same syllable, opposite jobs.
- Using the imperative to be polite. 食べろ is not "please eat" — it's "Eat!" barked at someone. Use 〜てください for requests.
- Conjugating る-verbs like う-verbs. 見る is a る-verb, so it's 見ろ, not 見れ. Check the verb group first.
- Forgetting 来る and する are irregular. They become 来い and しろ, never 来れ or すろ.
Quick recap
- う-verbs: final u → e (行く→行け, 飲む→飲め, 待つ→待て).
- る-verbs: drop る, add ろ (食べる→食べろ, 見る→見ろ).
- Irregulars: する→しろ (せよ), 来る→来い.
- Prohibition: dictionary form + な (行くな = "don't go").
- All of these sound harsh — use 〜てください for polite requests and 〜なさい for firm but gentle orders.
Your turn
Form the imperative or the 〜な prohibition for each verb.
Start the 5-question drill →Take the full N4 imperative & 〜な drill →
Frequently asked questions
How do I make the imperative form?
For う-verbs, change the final u-sound to e: 行く→行け, 飲む→飲め, 待つ→待て. For る-verbs, drop る and add ろ: 食べる→食べろ, 見る→見ろ. The irregulars are する→しろ (formal せよ) and 来る→来い.
How do I say 'don't' do something?
Add な to the dictionary form: 行くな ('don't go'), 見るな ('don't look'), するな ('don't do it'). This is the prohibition な and it's blunt, like the imperative.
Is the imperative rude?
Usually yes — it's rough and sounds masculine and forceful. It fits orders, signs, sports, anger, and quoted commands. For everyday politeness use 〜てください; for a firm but caring order use 〜なさい.
Is prohibition な the same as the ね/な at the end of a sentence?
No. Prohibition な attaches to a dictionary-form verb (行くな = 'don't go'). The softener ね/な attaches to a whole sentence to add feeling (行くなあ = 'I think I'll go'). They look the same but do opposite things.