How to Say ‘Don't touch’ in Japanese
さわらないで
sawara nai de
[sawara nai de]
💬 Usage Tip: [〜ないで] means “don’t …” or “without doing …” Here [さわらないで] is a direct “don’t touch.”
🇯🇵 In Japan: By itself, this can sound strong, so adding [ください] makes it much more polite.
Phrase Breakdown
さわら
sawara
[sawara]
do not touch
From the verb さわる, this stem means touch; here it appears in a negative request expression.
そこはさわらないでください。
Please do not touch there.
ない
nai
[nai]
not
Negative ending used to make the verb mean not do.
その場所はさわらないでください。
Please do not touch that area.
で
de
[de]
and; in this pattern, don't
In ないで, this particle helps form a request meaning please do not do something.
ここでさわらないでください。
Please do not touch here.
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