んじゃない
Meanings
- Don't
- Mustn't
- Shouldn't have
About this pattern
Explanation
んじゃない is a casual, emphatic way to tell someone not to do something or to admonish against a course of action. It often functions as a prohibition or strong advice, similar to “Don’t …” or “You shouldn’t …” in English. It can also be used to deny or challenge a situation when appended to nouns or adjectives, though its primary usage is prohibitive. The tone is rougher and more masculine/colloquial, and it’s commonly heard in spoken Japanese among friends, family, or in admonishing contexts. It often appears after the plain form of verbs, and can attach to i-adjectives. When used with a question-like intonation, it can express mild surprise or rhetorical expectation rather than a strict command.
Learn in context
Example sentences
Don’t do such a thing.
Don’t smoke here.
You’ve already promised, so don’t be late.
I thought he might come.
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