Grammar Point

ないで

don't

used in sentence-final position as an indirect prohibition

Verb ない form +

When used at the end of a sentence, this grammar point functions as a gentle or indirect prohibition, often used by women or towards children. It can also be used as a conjunction meaning 'without doing something' or 'instead of doing something' when connecting two clauses.

Sentence-final Prohibition

Used at the end of a sentence to tell someone not to do something in an informal or slightly soft way.


Don't look.

Please don't go.

Note

When used as a prohibition at the end of a sentence, it is more polite than the direct negative imperative form, but it is still a command and should be used carefully with superiors. In the middle of a sentence, it connects two actions where the first action does not occur.



Radicals of radicals