Learn how to use the Japanese imperative tense
Now Playing: Lesson Audio
Get a breakdown of the dialogue and translations instantly with the Premium line-by-line Audio. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Get this lesson’s key vocab, their translations and pronunciations. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Unlock Lesson Notes and Transcripts for every single lesson. Sign Up for a Free Lifetime Account and Get 7 Days of Premium Access.
| INTRODUCTION |
| Naomi: なおみです。(Naomi desu.) |
| Peter: Peter here. Now, hear this in Japanese. In this lesson, you will learn how to give commands and say "do this" and "don't do this" in Japanese. |
| Naomi: Right. Such as しろ (shiro) |
| Peter: “do it.” |
| Naomi: Or するな (suru na) |
| Peter: “don't do it.” This conversation takes place at? |
| Naomi: ツインズというカフェです。(Tsuinzu to iu kafe desu.) |
| Peter: A cafe called Twins. |
| Naomi: 彼氏と彼女と、あと小さい女の子が話しています。(Kareshi to kanojo to, ato chiisai onnanoko ga hanashite imasu.) |
| Peter: This is a conversation between a couple and a child, so, they will be speaking? |
| Naomi: カジュアルな日本語 (kajuaru na Nihon-go) |
| Peter: Informal Japanese. |
| Naomi: では、聞きましょう。(Dewa, kikimashō.) |
| Peter: Let’s listen to the conversation. |
| DIALOGUE |
| 下山 新 (Shimoyama Shin) : ふざけるなよー。(Fuzakeruna yō.) |
| : 君、誰？(Kimi, dare?) |
| 大空 風歌 (Ōzora Fūka) : ・・・怖いよー。(... Kowai yō.) |
| 下山 新 (Shimoyama Shin) : 泣くなよー。(Nakuna yō.) |
| 遠井 歩 (Tōi Ayumu) : ね、お嬢ちゃん、お名前は？(Ne, o-jō-chan, o-namae wa?) |
| 大空 風歌 (Ōzora Fūka) : 大空 風歌。・・・３才です。(Ōzora Fūka.... San-sai desu.) |
| 遠井 歩 (Tōi Ayumu) : ・・・風歌ちゃんのお母さんのお名前は何ですか？(.. Fūka-chan no o-kā-san no o-namae wa nan desu ka?) |
| 大空 風歌 (Ōzora Fūka) : 大空 美雨です。(Ōzora Miu desu.) |
| 遠井 歩 (Tōi Ayumu) : ・・・風歌ちゃんの お父さんは この、おじさんですか？(... Fūka-chan no o-tō-san wa kono, oji-san desu ka?) |
| 下山 新 (Shimoyama Shin) : おい！まだ信じていないのか。(Oi! Mada shinjite inai no ka.) |
| : いいかげんにしろ。俺を 信じろよ。(Ii kagen ni shiro. Ore o shinjiro yo.) |
| 大空 風歌 (Ōzora Fūka) : ・・・ちがいます。(... Chigai masu.) |
| : 風歌の パパは、大空晴夜です。(Fūka no papa wa, Ōzora Haruya desu.) |
| 天道 きり (Ōzora Kiri) : あら・・・風歌ちゃん、ここに いたの？(Ara...Fūka-chan, koko ni ita no?) |
| : あら？晴夜さん？(Ara? Haruya-san?) |
| : ・・・あら？違う。嫌だ。そっくり！(...Ara? Chigau. Iya da. Sokkuri!) |
| Naomi: もう一度、お願いします。今度はゆっくりお願いします。(Mō ichi-do, onegai shimasu. Kondo wa yukkuri onegai shimasu.) |
| 下山 新 (Shimoyama Shin) : ふざけるなよー。(Fuzakeruna yō.) |
| : 君、誰？(Kimi, dare?) |
| 大空 風歌 (Ōzora Fūka) : ・・・怖いよー。(... Kowai yō.) |
| 下山 新 (Shimoyama Shin) : 泣くなよー。(Nakuna yō.) |
| 遠井 歩 (Tōi Ayumu) : ね、お嬢ちゃん、お名前は？(Ne, o-jō-chan, o-namae wa?) |
| 大空 風歌 (Ōzora Fūka) : 大空 風歌。・・・３才です。(Ōzora Fūka.... San-sai desu.) |
| 遠井 歩 (Tōi Ayumu) : ・・・風歌ちゃんのお母さんのお名前は何ですか？(.. Fūka-chan no o-kā-san no o-namae wa nan desu ka?) |
| 大空 風歌 (Ōzora Fūka) : 大空 美雨です。(Ōzora Miu desu.) |
| 遠井 歩 (Tōi Ayumu) : ・・・風歌ちゃんの お父さんは この、おじさんですか？(... Fūka-chan no o-tō-san wa kono, oji-san desu ka?) |
| 下山 新 (Shimoyama Shin) : おい！まだ信じていないのか。(Oi! Mada shinjite inai no ka.) |
| : いいかげんにしろ。俺を 信じろよ。(Ii kagen ni shiro. Ore o shinjiro yo.) |
| 大空 風歌 (Ōzora Fūka) : ・・・ちがいます。(... Chigai masu.) |
| : 風歌の パパは、大空晴夜です。(Fūka no papa wa, Ōzora Haruya desu.) |
| 天道 きり (Ōzora Kiri) : あら・・・風歌ちゃん、ここに いたの？(Ara...Fūka-chan, koko ni ita no?) |
| : あら？晴夜さん？(Ara? Haruya-san?) |
| : ・・・あら？違う。嫌だ。そっくり！(...Ara? Chigau. Iya da. Sokkuri!) |
| Naomi: 今度は、英語が入ります。(Kondo wa, Eigo ga hairimasu.) |
| 下山 新 (Shimoyama Shin) : ふざけるなよー。(Fuzakeruna yō.) |
| Enough messing around! |
| : 君、誰？(Kimi, dare?) |
| Who are you? |
| 大空 風歌 (Ōzora Fūka) : ・・・怖いよー。(... Kowai yō.) |
| ...I'm scared~ |
| 下山 新 (Shimoyama Shin) : 泣くなよー。(Nakuna yō.) |
| C'mon, don't cry~ |
| 遠井 歩 (Tōi Ayumu) : ね、お嬢ちゃん、お名前は？(Ne, o-jō-chan, o-namae wa?) |
| Hey, little girl, what's your name? |
| 大空 風歌 (Ōzora Fūka) : 大空 風歌。・・・３才です。(Ōzora Fūka.... San-sai desu.) |
| I'm Fuka Ozora...I'm three years old. |
| 遠井 歩 (Tōi Ayumu) : ・・・風歌ちゃんのお母さんのお名前は何ですか？(.. Fūka-chan no o-kā-san no o-namae wa nan desu ka?) |
| ...And what's your mother's name, Fuka? |
| 大空 風歌 (Ōzora Fūka) : 大空 美雨です。(Ōzora Miu desu.) |
| Miu Ozora. |
| 遠井 歩 (Tōi Ayumu) : ・・・風歌ちゃんの お父さんは この、おじさんですか？(... Fūka-chan no o-tō-san wa kono, oji-san desu ka?) |
| ...And is this man your father? |
| 下山 新 (Shimoyama Shin) : おい！まだ信じていないのか。(Oi! Mada shinjite inai no ka.) |
| Hey! You still don't believe me?! |
| : いいかげんにしろ。俺を 信じろよ。(Ii kagen ni shiro. Ore o shinjiro yo.) |
| That's enough! Believe me already! |
| 大空 風歌 (Ōzora Fūka) : ・・・ちがいます。(... Chigai masu.) |
| No, he's not. |
| : 風歌の パパは、大空晴夜です。(Fūka no papa wa, Ōzora Haruya desu.) |
| My daddy is Haruya Ozora. |
| 天道 きり (Ōzora Kiri) : あら・・・風歌ちゃん、ここに いたの？(Ara...Fūka-chan, koko ni ita no?) |
| Oh, Fuka...you were over here? |
| : あら？晴夜さん？(Ara? Haruya-san?) |
| Oh? Haruya? |
| : ・・・あら？違う。(...Ara? Chigau.) |
| ...Oh, you're not him. |
| : 嫌だ。そっくり！(Iya da. Sokkuri!) |
| Oops. You look just alike! |
| POST CONVERSATION BANTER |
| Naomi: ピーターさん。英語の質問いいですか。(Pītā-san. Eigo no shitsumon ii desu ka.) |
| Peter: So you have an English question? |
| Naomi: はい。(Hai.) Yes. |
| Peter: OK. |
| Naomi: OK? So, do you say おい！(oi!) in English too? I mean, in Japanese, おい (oi) is mainly used by men and sounds really rough. How about English? Would you say the usage or nuance is the same?? |
| Peter: Hmm... Actually, it sounds kind of a… I hope British listeners don’t get angry but sounds like a bit British English. |
| Naomi: Hmm. |
| Peter: Oi, I think I have seen it in a movie or a TV program where somebody want to get another person’s attention. So there we said Oi. But in American English, we say Hey. |
| Naomi: Ok. |
| Peter: But I think nuance is a kind of the same. It’s… yeah, not a very friendly greeting. It’s not something like you see at a five star hotel you walked in. Oi, you forgot your bag. |
| Naomi: Hahah, I see. |
| Peter: So I think the nuance is kind of similar when you want to get someone’s attention. And it’s kind of used in a very informal situation. Things going at night or something like that. So I think if you look at the British English, and I suppose I’m right. I think it’s very similar to the usage here. |
| Naomi: Hmm. |
| Peter: Now, Japanese, I often hear this phrase doubled up like おいおい (oi oi). |
| Naomi: Ah. The translation varies depending on how it's said and the context but おいおい (oi oi) is like "hey" or "come on"or "give me a break". I sometimes use it as a joke though. |
| Peter: So you are saying you speak pretty rough Japanese? |
| Naomi: Oh, no no no no.... Ah, saying おいおい (oi oi) is Ok for both genders. |
| Peter: Ok. I have kind of noticed that. And when it's said twice it's OK for both genders to use, right? |
| Naomi: はい、そうです。(Hai, sō desu.) But Just saying おい (oi) is exclusively used by men. |
| Peter: So… if you at a station on a train platform, and on the other side, you saw your friend. You would have been like… おい！ (Oi!) |
| Naomi: Me? No. No. |
| VOCAB LIST |
| Peter: Let's take a look at the vocabulary for this lesson. |
| First word: |
| ふざける (fuzakeru) [natural native speed] |
| fool around |
| ふざける (fuzakeru) [slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| ふざける (fuzakeru) [natural native speed] |
| Next: |
| お嬢ちゃん (o-jō-chan) [natural native speed] |
| young lady |
| お嬢ちゃん (o-jō-chan) [slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| お嬢ちゃん (o-jō-chan) [natural native speed] |
| Next: |
| おじさん (oji-san) [natural native speed] |
| uncle, old man, middle-aged man |
| おじさん (oji-san) [slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| おじさん (oji-san) [natural native speed] |
| Next: |
| 信じる (shinjiru) [natural native speed] |
| to believe, to trust |
| 信じる (shinjiru) [slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| 信じる (shinjiru) [natural native speed] |
| Next: |
| いいかげんにしろ。(Iikagen ni shiro.) [natural native speed] |
| Cut it out! That's enough! Get a life! |
| いいかげんにしろ。(Iikagen ni shiro.) [slowly - broken down by syllable] |
| いいかげんにしろ。(Iikagen ni shiro.) [natural native speed] |
| VOCAB AND PHRASE USAGE |
| Peter: Let's have a closer look at the usage for some of the words and phrases from this lesson. The first word is? |
| Naomi: お譲ちゃん (o-jō-chan) |
| Peter: Now, お嬢さん (o-jō-san) also means "Miss" or "young lady". But here, お嬢ちゃん (o-jō-chan), the affectionate suffix 〜ちゃん (-chan) is used, お嬢ちゃん (o-jō-chan) has a friendlier and much younger connotation than お嬢さん (o-jō-san). |
| Naomi: そうね。(Sō ne.) |
| Peter: These words are used to get the attention of a lady or a girl whose name you don't know. Guess many uses for this. Sample sentence, please. |
| Naomi: お譲ちゃん、何歳ですか。(O-jō-chan, nan-sai desu ka.) |
| Peter: How old are you, young lady? In the translation, it becomes "little girl" because Fuka is so young. |
| Naomi: I'd say お譲ちゃん (o-jō-chan) is used for really young girls. Maybe up to elementary school? On the other hand, you can use お嬢さん (o-jō-san) as long as that person is a young lady. |
| Peter: Now, Naomi-sensei? |
| Naomi: はい。(Hai.) |
| Peter: Let’s take a look at some Japanese cultures. Isn’t it a famous TV personality who is known for calling women in their 50s and 60s お嬢さん (o-jō-san). |
| Naomi: あああ、みのもんたさんね。(Ā, Mino Monta-san ne.) Yeah. His name is Monta Mino. He's quite famous. And the ladies love to be called お嬢さん (o-jō-san). So, as long as you think the person is young, you can use it. |
| Peter: Or maybe in this way he used it to flatter them. |
| Naomi: あぁ、そうね。(Ā, sō ne.) |
| Peter: So suggestion is there much younger than your age by using this word. |
| Naomi: はい。(Hai.) |
| Peter: OK. What's the next phrase? |
| Naomi: いいかげんにしろ！(Iikagen ni shiro!) |
| Peter: Ouch. |
| Naomi: (laugh) |
| Peter: Again, the context determines the strength of this phrase, but I want to be careful of this one. It can be used as quite a strong phrase. It’s among friends can be a funny joking phrase, but in lessons, it’s a very strong phrase. Kind of break it down to the parts. So the first part? |
| Naomi: いい (ii) |
| Peter: is "good" |
| Naomi: かげん (kagen) |
| Peter: this means "degree" |
| Naomi: and しろ (shiro) |
| Peter: is the imperative form of the verb する (suru), to do. Now, we'll cover this imperative form in the grammar section in a minute. So, |
| Naomi: いいかげん (iikagen) |
| Peter: can be translated in many ways depending on the context but it carries the meaning of "moderation", or "not overdo". So, |
| Naomi: いいかげんにする (iikagen ni suru) |
| Peter: literally means "to do something in moderation" or "to not go overboard" or "to not overdo". |
| Naomi: Usually いいかげんにしろ！(Iikagen ni shiro!) is translated as "Cut it out!", or "That's enough already!" |
| Peter: Right.This phrase basically expresses the speaker's irritation toward the situation or the listener. |
| Naomi: If you want to soften the phrase a little bit, use して (shite) or してください (shite kudasai) instead of しろ (shiro), like いいかげんにしてください！(iikagen ni shite kudasai!) |
| Peter: That's enough already! |
| Naomi: But even if you say it nicely, the message is still the same. So be careful when using it. |
| Peter: Yeah, I don’t really think we can convey it how strong phrase this convey, and try to think a really good knowledge and kind of concern of mine if you picture a family of four, a father driving, a mother in the front seat, and two kids in the back. Let’s just make them boys. And you can picture they start a fight back and forth, they get warnings from their parents, you know. Guys, not get off, they keeps going and also there fulbourn like a fight and then a dad just turns around and he says |
| Naomi: いいかげんにしろ！(Iikagen ni shiro!) |
| Peter: So it’s kind of like better to stop right now! Like not going to get off right now! Again, imperative Japanese is quite strong, so this phrase is quite strong. So we just want to convey that to you. |
Lesson focus |
|---|
| Peter: In this lesson, you'll learn how to tell someone not to do something in a strong manner. |
| Naomi: We often see signs saying 入るな (hairu na) |
| Peter: "Do not enter." |
| Naomi: Or さわるな (sawaru na) |
| Peter: "Do not touch." |
| Naomi: Don't we? |
| Peter: Right. You'll learn how to say these phrases. Naomi-sensei, how do you say "Do not enter" again? |
| Naomi: 入るな (hairu na) |
| Peter: 入る (hairu) is the dictionary form of the verb "to enter", and |
| Naomi: な (na) |
| Peter: Here it is a negative command, kind of like "don't" in English. |
| Naomi: うん、そうね。(Un, sō ne.) So, 入るな (hairu na) means "Do not enter." |
| Peter: Listen and repeat. "to enter". |
| Naomi: 入る (hairu) |
| Peter: [pause] "Do not enter." |
| Naomi: 入るな (hairu na) |
| Peter: [pause] OK. Let's do more practice. Naomi-sensei,"to touch" is? |
| Naomi: さわる (sawaru) |
| Peter: To that attach? |
| Naomi: な (na), さわるな (sawaru na) |
| Peter: “Do not touch.” OK listeners, listen and repeat. "To touch" |
| Naomi: さわる (sawaru) |
| Peter: [pause] "Don't touch" |
| Naomi: さわるな (sawaru na) |
| Peter: [pause] OK. |
| Naomi: At factories, you'll often see signs that say… さわるな、危険！(Sawaru na, kiken!) |
| Peter: “Don't touch.” “Danger.” |
| Naomi: Oh, I recently saw a similar label on a bottle of 洗剤 (senzai) - detergent. |
| Peter: What did it say? |
| Naomi: Can you guess? Here's a hint. You're not supposed to mix different detergents, right? |
| Peter: Ahhh. Got it. まぜる (mazeru) is "to mix," right? |
| Naomi: Right. |
| Peter: So, “don’t mix” is...まぜるな (mazeru na)? |
| Naomi: Exactly. It says… まぜるな、危険。(Mazeru na, kiken.) |
| Peter: “Don't mix. Danger.” Interesting! And better also says 飲むな (nomu na). |
| Naomi: Detergent? Ah yeah, of course not. |
| Peter: In this case, the Japanese translation would be “don’t drink.” Or 食べるな (taberu na), “don’t eat.” Now, in this audio portion of the lesson we covered only the negative imperative - telling someone NOT to do something. In the lesson notes, you'll find a detailed write up on the imperative form used for telling someone to do something, so make sure to read them. |
| Naomi: はい。あと、ピーターさん。(Hai. Ato, Pītā-san.) I'd like to point out one thing. Basically, the imperative is a very strong command, so the situations where you can use it are quite limited, aren't they? |
| Peter: Good point. They are often used in emergency situations, signs from authorities, discipline at home, in the military, cheering at sports events... or situations on the train right before a fight. |
| Naomi: With the exception of cheering at sports events, the imperative has a nuance of "If you don't obey the instructions, something serious could happen." |
| Peter: And I'd say it tends to be used more by men than women. So just be careful when using it. |
| Naomi: はい。(Hai.) |
| Peter: Alright. That's all for this lesson. |
| Naomi: じゃ、また。(Ja, mata.) |
Easily master this lesson’s grammar points with in-depth explanations and examples. Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Get complete breakdowns, review with quizzes and download printable practice sheets! Sign up for your Free Lifetime Account Now and get 7 Days of Premium Access including this feature.
Comments
Hide