やめてくれませんか？
yamete kuremasen ka?
The English phrase "can you please stop it?" is translated into Japanese as やめてくれませんか？ (yamete kuremasen ka?)
This phrase is used as a polite request when someone is doing something that bothers you and you want them to stop. You can also use やめていただけませんか to mean "Can you please stop it?" or "Would you kindly stop?" While やめてください is a common way to say "please stop," the phrase やめてくれませんか？ is slightly more indirect, as it asks if the person is willing to do you the favor of stopping.
What does it mean word for word?
The word やめて is the te-form of the verb yameru, which means "to stop."
Which one should you use?
The forms differ in their directness and level of politeness. やめて is a much more casual and often blunt way to say "stop it" compared to the full phrase やめてくれませんか？ In contrast, やめてください is a standard polite request, whereas やめてくれませんか？ is more indirect. Using the single word やめて is a direct and slightly stern way to say "stop."
How does it change in a sentence?
Because the phrase is a question, it typically ends with the particle か to indicate a query.
How do you pronounce it?
yamete kuremasen ka?
Did you know?
- If you are extremely angry or even in a fight, using the polite やめてください can actually feel more chilling and distant than the casual やめて. The formal politeness can signal that you are cutting off all friendly connection with the person.
- The verb やめる shares a spelling with the word 辞める, which means to resign from a job. While the pronunciation is the same, a Japanese person would use different kanji to distinguish between 'stopping an action' and 'quitting a position'.
- If you want someone to stop a moving object, such as a bus or a machine, you should never use やめて. Instead, you must use the verb とめて to avoid sounding like you are asking them to abandon a habit.
Examples in context
- もうやめてください！Please stop it now!
- そんなに大きな声で騒ぐのは、やめてくれませんか？Sonna ni ookina koe de sawagu no wa, yamete kuremasen ka?Can you please stop making such a loud noise?
- 私のノートに落書きするのは、やめてくれませんか？Watashi no nooto ni rakugaki suru no wa, yamete kuremasen ka?Can you please stop doodling on my notebook?
- その冗談はやめてくれませんか？Sono joudan wa yamete kuremasen ka?Can you please stop that joke?
Example conversation
At a library, a student is being disturbed by a noisy peer.
- 陽太 Yotaすみません、足を踏むのはやめてくれませんか？Sumimasen, ashi o fumu no wa yamete kuremasen ka?Excuse me, can you please stop stomping your feet?
- 陽葵 Himariごめんなさい、気づきませんでした。Gomen nasai, kizukimasen deshita.I'm sorry, I didn't realize.
- 陽太 Yota集中したいので、お願いします。Shuuchuu shitai node, onegai shimasu.I want to concentrate, so please.
- 陽葵 Himariわかりました。気をつけます。Wakarimashita. Ki o tsukemasu.I understand. I will be careful.
