N4 · Unit 8
Lesson 29Report commands, reminders, and rules
Understand a short instruction and report it neutrally to someone else.
What you learn
Understand a short instruction and report it neutrally to someone else.
Learning points
- Command and prohibition forms
- Quoted speech
- Names and definitions
Why this lesson comes now
This lesson connects what you can already say to a new way of expressing it. Hear the key sentences, understand the structure, then use it in a real situation.
Your next step
Listen to the key sentences, understand the pattern, finish the examples and vocabulary, then continue to the next lesson.
Open the interactive lessonCore pattern
動詞命令形 ・ 動詞基本形 + な ・ 動詞ます語幹 + なさい ・ 小句 + と 言います ・ N という N ・ 小句 + という 意味ですBeginner explanation
First learn to recognize strong commands rather than copying them into ordinary conversation. The imperative orders immediate action, while dictionary form＋な gives a strong prohibition. They appear in urgent warnings, sports calls, training commands, direct quotations, or clear authority relationships. Prefer 〜てください／〜ないでください in ordinary interaction. 〜なさい mainly appears from parent to child, teacher to student, or in test instructions. Use と to preserve quoted wording and という to name or explain a sign.
Understand these sentences first
- 危ない。すぐ 逃げろ。abunai. sugu nigero
Danger! Run now!
- ここで 写真を 撮るな。koko de shashin o toru na
Do not take photos here.
- 母は 子供に「早く 寝なさい」と 言いました。haha wa kodomo ni hayaku nenasai to iimashita
The mother told her child to go to bed early.
- これは「桜」という 花です。kore wa sakura to iu hana desu
This is a flower called sakura.
Core vocabulary
- 消しますけしますturn off; extinguish
- 急ぎますいそぎますhurry
- 守りますまもりますobey; protect
- 逃げますにげますrun away
- 標識ひょうしきsign
- 禁止きんしprohibition
- 撮影さつえいphotography
- 意味いみmeaning
Grammar, one point at a time
The verb imperative directly orders the listener to act
一类え段／二类ろ／来い／しろGroup 1 changes the final u-row sound to the e-row; Group 2 replaces る with ろ; 来る becomes 来い and する becomes しろ. It is not an ordinary polite request; first learn it for emergencies, commands, sport, and quotations.
Examples
- 危ない、止まれ！Danger! Stop!
- 早く 逃げろ！Run!
- 書類を 出せと 言われました。I was told to submit the document.
Masu-stem + なさい is an authority-directed instruction, not general politeness
Vます-stem + なさいIt appears in parent-child, teacher-student, and test contexts. Though softer than a bare imperative, it still marks authority; use てください with colleagues, superiors, customers, and strangers.
Examples
- 質問に 答えなさい。Answer the question.
- 次の 文章を 読みなさい。Read the next passage.
Dictionary form + な is a strong prohibition, distinct from ないで
Vる + な触るな is a forceful Don't touch, while 触らないで is a direct everyday request. Public signs also use noun forms such as 立入禁止.
Examples
- ここに 車を 止めるな。Do not park here.
- 危険だから、触るな。It is dangerous; don't touch.
- ここで 写真を 撮らないでください。Please do not take photos here.
Vて／Vないで are close-register requests; ください raises politeness
Vて／Vないで／Vてください／VないでくださいBare て／ないで depends on relationship and intonation. Emergency help normally uses 助けて rather than an imperative; formal or burdensome requests need softer forms.
Examples
- もう 少し 急いで。Hurry a little more.
- 心配しないで。Don't worry.
- ここで お待ちください。Please wait here.
N1というN2 means an N2 called N1
N1 + という + N2N1 is the name and N2 the category; use it for flowers, places, surnames, works, or systems.
Examples
- フジという 花a flower called fuji
- 世田谷という 所a place called Setagaya
- 防災訓練という 活動an activity called disaster drill
Quotation + という意味です explains text, signs, or rules
引用 + という 意味ですThe quotation may be imperative, prohibitive, plain form, or noun. Interpret public signs under the local official system rather than guessing from shape.
Examples
- 立入禁止は、ここに 入るなという 意味です。No entry means do not enter.
- この 標識は 駐車禁止という 意味です。This sign means no parking.
- この 漢字は「きんえん」と 読みます。This kanji is read kin'en.
Expressions and situations
Imperative use depends on urgency, responsibility, and relationship, not gender
The textbook labels some forms as male speech, but modern learners should not imitate them on that basis. They may appear in urgent warnings, training, sport, quotation, or scripted roles; ordinary interaction should prefer requests and negotiation.
- 危険です。すぐ 離れてください。It is dangerous. Please move away immediately.
In an emergency, choose the shortest expression that reduces risk
Warn with 止まれ or 触るな when needed, but request rescue with 助けて or 救急車を呼んでください. Strong commands are justified by safety and clarity.
- 火事だ。逃げろ！Fire! Run!
- 助けてください。Please help me.
Direct quotation preserves wording but should identify who said it to whom and when
提出しろと言いました reports forceful wording without implying agreement. High-stakes instructions also require source, authority, and context verification.
- 担当者は「ここで待て」と 言いました。The staff member said, Wait here.
〜ないと／〜なければ can omit the remainder and mean must
The full forms are 〜ないといけない and 〜なければならない. Omission is common in self-talk or close speech; formal instructions should be complete.
- もう 行かないと。I have to go.
- 資料を 見なければ。I have to look at the material.
〜方をする evaluates a way of doing, speaking, or thinking
It focuses on manner rather than content; identify behaviour rather than applying a label.
- そんな 言い方を しないでください。Please do not speak that way.
- 安全な 使い方を 説明します。I will explain safe use.
Road and facility signs must be interpreted under the local official system
駐車禁止, 駐停車禁止, 横断禁止, 立入禁止, and 火気厳禁 regulate different conduct. Learning the term does not cover every legal exception.
- 補助標識も 確認してください。Check the supplementary sign too.
Disaster, accident, and incident terms describe events but do not prove cause or responsibility
Serious terms such as earthquake, flood, fire, traffic accident, crash, sinking, kidnapping, and hijacking require reliable sourcing and clear actors.
- 事故の 原因は まだ 分かっていません。The cause is not yet known.
Karaoke developed in Japan as accompaniment singing and now has diverse uses
Industry sources trace equipment development to the late 1960s; modern uses include socializing and individual practice. Follow local rules on age, alcohol, noise, and safety.
- 一人で カラオケを 練習する 人も います。Some people practise karaoke alone.
Explaining karaoke culture does not permit copying unlicensed lyrics or recordings
JASRAC materials show that karaoke music use involves licensing. This site uses original teaching sentences and reviewed audio.
- 歌詞は 引用せず、意味を 自分の 言葉で 説明します。I explain the meaning in my own words without quoting lyrics.
What you should be able to do
- Form 13 imperatives and a てください alternative for each.
- Distinguish Vるな, Vないで, and Vないでください.
- Choose forms for parent, teacher, colleague, customer, stranger, and emergency.
- Introduce names with N1というN2 and explain signs with という意味です.
- Report who said what to whom and when, verifying the source.
- Complete an original public-safety task with signs, polite reminders, urgent warnings, and help requests.
Culture and real use
Karaoke from accompaniment equipment to diverse spaces: explain culture without copying lyrics
The All-Japan Karaoke Industrialist Association traces Japanese karaoke equipment development to the late 1960s, and the Japan Karaoke Box Association describes uses including socializing and individual practice. JASRAC separately explains licensing procedures for commercial network karaoke and singing in venues. The course explains terminology, equipment, and social use without commercial lyrics or unlicensed recordings. Venue rules on age, alcohol, noise, fire safety, and security still apply.
- カラオケという 言葉は 世界で 使われています。The word karaoke is used worldwide.
- 歌詞は 引用せず、意味を 自分の 言葉で 説明します。I explain the meaning in my own words without quoting lyrics.
- 店の ルールを 守って 楽しみます。I enjoy it while following venue rules.