5 N5 Grammar Patterns for Permission and Prohibition | Complete Guide to 〜てもいい and 〜てはいけない
Compares 5 essential expressions for permission and prohibition in beginner Japanese.
Explores the nuanced differences when requesting or restricting someone's actions.
Learn frequently used real-life patterns like 'May I...?' and 'You must not...'.
How this bundle was curated
All items at a glance
| Grammar | Meaning | Nuance |
|---|---|---|
| 〜てもいいです | you may ~ | Light permission or tolerance |
| 〜てもいいですか | may I ~? | Politely asking for permission |
| 〜てはいけません | you must not ~ | Indicates rules or strong prohibition |
| 〜ないでください | please do not ~ | Gently restricting or requesting someone not to do something |
| 〜ても大丈夫です | it is okay to ~ | Indicates no problem, reassures the listener |
Item by item
Reading: ~te mo ii desu
you may ~
Connects to the te-form of a verb to indicate permission to do an action. It is frequently used in everyday conversation and implies light tolerance.
Reading: ~te mo ii desu ka
may I ~?
A polite expression used to ask for permission to do something. It is used in the form of a question.
Reading: ~te wa ikemasen
you must not ~
Connects to the te-form of a verb and is mainly used to strongly restrict an action or state that it is prohibited by rules or laws.
Reading: ~nai de kudasai
please do not ~
Connects to the nai-form of a verb. Used to gently prohibit or ask someone not to do a certain action.
Reading: ~te mo daijoubu desu
it is okay to ~
Similar to '〜てもいいです', but it is naturally used to reassure the listener or emphasize that an action 'will not cause a problem'.
Practice with examples
窓を開けてもいいですか。
May I open the window?
授業中にスマートフォンを使ってはいけません。
You must not use your smartphone during class.
無理をしないでください。
Please do not push yourself too hard.
明日は休んでもいいです。
You may take a day off tomorrow.
How to decide when unsure
- When stating strong rules or prohibitions based on social norms, '〜てはいけません' is generally natural. On the other hand, when asking someone not to do something as a personal request, '〜ないでください' is often used.
- Use '〜てもいいですか' when asking the listener for permission. If the listener feels apologetic or worried, it is better to use '〜ても大丈夫です' to reassure them.
Common mistakes
'〜てはいけません' connects to the te-form of a verb, while '〜ないでください' connects to the nai-form. Since the meanings of the two expressions are similar, it is easy to confuse their connection forms, so please be careful.
Wrong example: 食べないてはいけません。/Correct example: 食べてはいけません。
For 'you must not eat', the correct expression is connecting はいけません to the te-form, 食べて.
Mini quiz
Which of the following is the most natural expression to indicate a strong rule meaning 'You must not enter here'? (Verb: 入る - to enter)
One-line summary
By understanding the nuanced differences and connection forms of these 5 basic expressions for permission and prohibition, you will be able to speak much more natural conversational Japanese depending on the situation.
FAQ
How are 〜てもいいです and 〜ても大丈夫です different?
Both carry the meaning of permission or tolerance, but '〜ても大丈夫です' has a stronger nuance of reassuring the listener by emphasizing that their action 'will not cause a problem'.
Can I use 〜てはいけません with my superiors?
'〜てはいけません' has a somewhat forceful nuance of prohibition, so using it directly with a superior can sound unnatural. Depending on the situation, it is better to use softer, indirect expressions or requests.
