Meaning
A polite request asking someone not to do something. It follows the negative ない-form of a verb.
Formation
- ない form + でください: 吸わない → 吸わないでください
When to use it
- Core use
- Please do not do it
Example
ここでタバコを吸わないでください
Please do not smoke here.
Important notes
- Pay attention to the word form before the construction and to the particles around it.
Common mistakes
- Do not translate the pattern word for word; first identify its function in the whole situation.