てはいけない: saying something is forbidden

The idea

Add はいけません to the verb’s て-form: 読よんで becomes 読よんではいけません. It states that a rule or situation does not permit the action.

Examples

• 水みずを飲のんではいけません。You must not drink water.
• この部屋へやを使つかってはいけません。You must not use this room.
• ここで写真しゃしんを撮とってはいけません。You must not take photos here.
• ここで待まってはいけません。You must not wait here.
• ここで電話でんわをしてはいけません。You must not make a phone call here.
• 窓まどを開あけてはいけません。You must not open the window.

Watch out

Keep で in a voiced て-form, as in 飲んではいけません. This is prohibition; なくてもいい means the action is optional.

Try it yourself

1. Complete the transformation using this lesson’s pattern: 「読よむ」→＿＿

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   読んではいけません

   読よむ → 読よんで → 読よんではいけません — Add はいけません to the verb’s て-form: 読よんで becomes 読よんではいけません. It states that a rule or situation does not permit the action.

2. Complete the transformation using this lesson’s pattern: 「食たべる」→＿＿

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   食べてはいけません

   食たべる → 食たべて → 食たべてはいけません — Add はいけません to the verb’s て-form: 読よんで becomes 読よんではいけません. It states that a rule or situation does not permit the action.

3. Complete the transformation using this lesson’s pattern: 「する」→＿＿

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   してはいけません

   する → して → してはいけません — Add はいけません to the verb’s て-form: 読よんで becomes 読よんではいけません. It states that a rule or situation does not permit the action.

Use it today

Cover the table, then make two sentences of your own and check both the form and meaning.