な

The particle な, when placed directly after a verb in its dictionary form, expresses a strong prohibition – telling someone "don't do that!" It is the casual imperative negative, used to firmly or urgently forbid an action.

Usage and tone

This form is blunt and forceful. It is used in the following situations:

• Urgent commands or warnings

  にげる逃げるなきごう！

  Don't run away!

• Anger or strong emotion

  うそをつく嘘をつくなきごう！

  Don't lie!

• Among close male friends (rough casual speech)

  そんなことゆう言うなよ。

  Don't say things like that.

• Signs, slogans, and set phrases

  あきらめるな。

  Don't give up.

Important notes

Because of its forceful tone, this form is generally not appropriate in polite contexts. For polite prohibitions, use 〜～ないでください instead. Compare:

• みる見るな – Don't look! (blunt/rough)
• みないで見ないでください – Please don't look. (polite)

Adding the particle よ after な (as in いく行くなよ) softens the command slightly, giving it a more personal or pleading tone rather than a harsh order.

Do not confuse this な with the sentence-ending particle な used for emphasis or reflection (e.g. いいてんきいい天気だな – "Nice weather, huh"), or the な that follows na-adjectives (e.g. しずか静かな). The prohibitive な attaches to the dictionary form of a verb, which makes it distinguishable from these other uses.