JAPANESE LESSON, Minna no Nihongo

Minna no Nihongo 15 ① : Permissions And Prohibitions

minna no nihongo 15 permissions and prohibitions

こんにちは、みなさん おじゃちゃんです。

Today is “Minna no Nihongo lesson 15 ① : Asking for Permissions in Japanese”. Asking for permissions and expressing prohibitions differ from the situations or the people. You want to use them correctly because that would determine your impression, don’t you? Let’s learn these expressions together with te-form I taught in previous lessons together.

Let’s get started!

Minna No Nihongo: Beginner 1, 2nd Edition (Japanese)

Customer Reviews:★★★★

Publisher : 3A CORPORATION; 2nd Edition (March 16, 1998)

CONTENTS

■ Asking for Permissions in Japanese


Let’s learn the expressions of asking for permissions.

Casual Expressions | Asking for Permissions

You can use these expressions below when you want to ask for permissions casually to your close people like your friends or family.

casual expressions asking for permissions

te-form + もいい? Can I ~?

これ 食べて もいい
kore tabete moii
Can I eat this?

ta-form + らダメ? I can’t ~?

これ 取った らダメ
kore tottara dame
*I can’t take this?

*I translate Japanese into English directly because I couldn’t find good English translations.

Suitable Casual Responses | Asking for Permissions

・Positive Responses

JapaneseEnglishUsages
もちろん。
mochiron
Of course. when you permit willingly
うん、いいよ。
un iiyo
Yeah, sure. when you accept to do something
オッケー。
okkei
Okay. when you accept to do something casually

・Negative Responses

JapaneseEnglishUsages
いや、ごめん。
iya gomen
Sorry, no. when you decline it casually
ちょっと困る。
chotto komaru
Ah I’m not happy about that. when you want to say it’s uncomfortable for you
いや。
iya
No way. when you don’t want to do something
ダメ。
dame
Not good. when you oppose the offer

Polite Expressions | Asking for Permissions

You can use these expressions below when you want to ask for permissions politely to your co-workers or strangers etc.

⭐️’s expressions appear in Minna no Nihongo Lesson 15.

polite expressions asking for permissions

⭐️ te-form + もいいですか。May I ~ ?

お願いして もいいですか
onegaishite mo iidesuka
May I ask you a favor?

te-form + もかまいませんか。Would you mind if ~?

この絵を 見て もかまいませんか
kono e wo mite mo kamaimasenka
Would you mind if I look at this picture?

Suitable Polite Responses | Asking for Permissions

・Positive Responses

JapanaeseEnglishUsages
どうぞ。
douzo
Go ahead. when you permit it formally
いいですよ。
iidesuoyo
Sure. when you permit it gently 
はい、大丈夫です。
hai daijoubu desu
It’s ok. when you allow to do something
かまいませんよ。
kamaimasen yo
No problem. when you let the speaker to do something

・Negative Responses

JapaneseEnglishUsages
いや、すみません。
iya sumimsen
Ah, I’m sorry. when you want to decline it formally
いや、ごめんなさい。
iya gomennasai
Ah, I’m sorry. when you want to decline it gently
ちょっと困ります。
chotto komarimasu
This will be a problem.when you make the speaker stop to do something
ダメです。
damedesu
No, it’s not okay. when you banned to do something

Graceful Polite Phrases for Business | Asking for Permissions

You need to use these graceful polite expressions when you ask for permissions to superior people, elder people, or your clients etc.

graceful polite phrases for business asking for permissions

te-form + もよろしいでしょうか。Would it be possible to ~?

後日 お伺いして もよろしいでしょうか
gojitsu oukagaishite mo yoroshii deshouka
Would it be possible to come and visit you later?

Suitable Graceful Polite Responses for Business | Asking for Permissions

・Positive Responses

JapaneseEnglishUsages
遠慮せず、どうぞ。
enryosezu douzo
Don’t hesitate. when you permit to do something willingly
いいですよ。
iidesuyo
Please do. when you permit to do something gently
はい、大丈夫です。
hai daijoubu desu
Yes, you can. when you allow to do something 
はい、かまいません。
hai kamaimasen 
Don’t worry about it. when you let the speaker to do something

・Negative Responses

JapaneseEnglishUsages
すみませんが、難しい [厳しい] です。
sumimasen ga muzukashii [kibishii] desu
I’m sorry but… when you want to decline in a roundabout
大変 申し訳ありませんが、~。
taihen moushiwakearimasen ga
I’m afraid that ~. when you want to decline politely on business
あいにく、~できません。
ainiku ~ dekimasen
I regret to let you know that ~. when you decline to do something gently to superior people
せっかくですが、お断り 申し上げます。
sekkaku desu ga okotowari moushiagemasu
Unfortunately, I can’t accept your offer. when you decline to do something to superior people

■ Expressing Prohibitions in Japanese

You can use these sentences if you don’t want the the listener to do something. Let’s learn how to express prohibitions.

⭐️’s expressions appear in “Minna no Nihongo Lesson 15”.

Casual Expressions | Expressing Prohibitions

You can use these expressions below when you express prohibitions in Japanese casually to your close people like your friends or family.

casual exressions exressing prohibitions

nai-form + ないで! Don’t ~ !

私の お菓子を 食べない
watashi no okashi wo tabenaide
Don’t eat my candy.

nai-form + ないでね。Please don’t ~.

今度は 遅れないでね
kondo wa okurenaide ne
Please don’t be late next time.

When you add “ね” at the end of the sentence, you can express something gently.

ta-form + らダメ!Don’t  ~ !

開けたら ダメ
aketara dame
Don’t open it!

jisho-form + な! Don’t  ~ !

寝る
neruna
Don’t sleep!

Suitable Casual Responses | Expressing Prohibitions

・Positive Responses

JapaneseEnglishUsages
はい。
hai
Yes. when you agree
分かった
wakatta
I see.when you accept casually

・Negative Responses

JapaneseEnglishUsages
いやだ。
iyada
No. when you don’t want to do definitely
やだよ。
yadayo
No. when you notice the listener not wanting to do
知るか
shiruka
I don’t care. when you want to ignore to do

Polite Expressions | Expressing Prohibitions

You can use these expressions below when you express prohibitions in Japanese politely to your co-workers or strangers etc.

polite expressions expressing prohibitions

⭐️ te-form + は いけません。 You must not ~.

ここに 入っては いけません
koko ni haitte wa ikemasen
You must not enter here.

jisho-form + のは ダメです。You can’t  ~.

これに 触るのは ダメです
kore ni sawaru nowa damedesu
You can’t touch this.

nai-form + で ください。 Please don’t  ~.

ここに 座らないで ください
koko ni suwaranaide kudasai
Please don’t sit here.

noun + を やめてください。 Please stop ~.

を やめてください
hanashi wo yametekudasai
Please stop talking.

Suitable Polite Responses | Expressing Prohibitions

・Positive Responses

JapaneseEnglishUsages
分かりました。
wakarimashita
I understand.  when you agree it formally
すみません。
sumimasen
I’m sorry. when you apologize for it 

・Negative Responses

JapaneseEnglishUsages
どうしてですか。
doushite desuka
Why? when you ask of it instead of denying
いやです。
iyadesu
No. when you oppose to do something directly

Very Polite Phrases for Business | Expressing Prohibitions

You can use these expressions below when you express prohibitions in Japanese superior people, elder people, or your clients etc. That’s very difficult. You can use “Making requests” instead when you prohibit to do something to such people.

You can learn “Making Requests and Asking Suggestions” form HERE!

noun + は お控えください。 I must ask you to refrain from ~.

こちらでの 飲食は お控えください
kochira deno inshoku wa ohikae kudasai
I must ask you to refrain from eating here.

noun + は ご遠慮ください。 You are requested to refrain from ~.

写真撮影は ご遠慮ください
shashin satsuei wa goenryo kudasai
You are requested to refrain from taking pictures.

noun + は ご遠慮いただけますか。 Could you please not do ~.

携帯電話の 利用は ご遠慮いただけますか
keitaidenwa no riyou wa goenryo itadakemasuka
Could you please not use your phone?

Suitable Very Polite Phrases Responses for Business | Expressing Prohibitions

・Positive Responses

JapaneseEnglishUsages
失礼致しました。
shitsurei itashimashita
I’m sorry for that. when you apologize politely 
承知致しました。
shouchi itashimasita
I understand.when you use on business
かしこまりました。
kashikomarimashita
Certainly.when you use it for superior people

・Negative Responses

JapaneseEnglishUsages
恐れながら、お断り申し上げます。
osorenagara okotowari moushiagemasu
I’m afraid that I will have to decline.when you decline it politely and directly
恐れながら、理由を 聞かせて いただけますか。
osorenagara riyuu wo kikasete itadake masuka
If you don’t mind I’d like to hear the reasons. when you ask the reasons instead of declining gently

■ Permissions and Prohibitions QUIZ


■ Homework


Here is your homework today. Please translate Japanese into English and comment below.

1.帰っても いいですか。
2.ドアを 閉めないで ください。

Okay, that’s all for today!
Good luck with your Japanese study 🐶🍀

Minna No Nihongo: Beginner 1, 2nd Edition (Japanese)

Customer Reviews:★★★★☆

Publisher : 3A CORPORATION; 2nd Edition (March 16, 1998)

THE NEXT LESSON is:
Minna no Nihongo 15 ②:The Progressive Present Form te-form + imasu

THE PREVIOUS LESSON is:
Minna no Nihongo 14: Making Requests and Suggestions