🌸 Japanese Topic 66初級🌿 Elementary

〜てはいけません

~te wa ikemasen

Must not / You may not

🌸 Expressing Prohibition and Rules 🌸

💬 Dialogue

🌸 Rules and Prohibitions 🌸

すみません、ここで写真を撮ってはいけません。

Sumimasen, koko de shashin o totte wa ikemasen.

Excuse me, you must not take photos here.

あ、すみません。知りませんでした。

A, sumimasen. Shirimasen deshita.

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know.

あちらでタバコを吸ってはいけません。

Achira de tabako o sutte wa ikemasen.

You must not smoke over there.

わかりました。食べ物を食べてはいけませんか？

Wakarimashita. Tabemono o tabete wa ikemasen ka?

I understand. Is it also forbidden to eat food?

はい、ここで食べてはいけません。

Hai, koko de tabete wa ikemasen.

Yes, you must not eat here.

そうですか。気をつけます。

Sou desu ka. Ki o tsukemasu.

I see. I will be careful.

📖 Vocabulary

5 words

KanaRomajiEnglish

しゃしんをとるshashin o toruto take a photo

たばこをすうtabako o suuto smoke

たべものtabemonofood

だめdameno good / forbidden

きをつけるki o tsukeruto be careful

⭐ Key Sentence

V-てはいけません

V-te wa ikemasen

You must not [verb].

Pattern: [Verb-te form] はいけません。
Meaning: Prohibition / Not allowed to do something.

ここに車を止めてはいけません。

Koko ni kuruma o tomete wa ikemasen.

You must not park your car here.

図書館で話してはいけません。

Toshokan de hanashite wa ikemasen.

You must not talk in the library.

🎓 Explanation

The grammar 「〜てはいけません」 is used to express a formal prohibition or a rule.

To form this, use the Te-form of a verb followed by は (pronounced 'wa') and いけません.

It is commonly seen on signs in public places or used by authority figures (teachers, police, staff) to explain regulations.

Haite wa ikemasen
= 'Must not enter.'

Wasurete wa ikemasen
= 'Must not forget.'

📝 Quiz

How do you say 'You must not take photos' politely?