How to Say ‘Don't do that.’ in Japanese
それはだめ。
sore wa dame
[soh-reh wah dah-meh]
💬 Usage Tip: [それはだめ] is softer and more explanatory than just [だめ]. Literally, 'That is not okay.' Nice when you want to sound corrective, not harsh.
🇯🇵 In Japan: Japanese often softens discipline by commenting on the action rather than attacking the dog. [それはだめ] focuses on the behavior.
Phrase Breakdown
それ
sore
[soh-reh]
that
Refers to the thing or action the dog is doing.
それはだめ。
That is not allowed.
は
wa
[wah]
topic marker
Marks 'that' as the topic of the sentence. Pronounced 'wa' here.
それはだめ。
That is not allowed.
だめ
dame
[dah-meh]
not allowed; bad
Says the action is unacceptable. Very common for simple correction.
それはだめ。
That is not allowed.
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