やめて
yamete
The English phrase "drop it" is translated into Japanese as やめて (yamete).
While it literally means "stop doing [an action]", it is the standard way to tell someone to "drop" a topic of conversation or stop a behavior.
Which one should you use?
The forms of this expression vary significantly in tone. やめて is an informal request or command. やめてください is a polite way to say "drop it" in Japanese, while やめろ is a much harsher, blunt command often used by men or in high-tension situations. やめとけ is a colloquial way to say "drop it".
Is it said differently in some regions?
やめんさい is a regional variation of "やめなさい" and is primarily used in certain areas of Western Japan.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding ください to the end makes the command more polite.
How do you pronounce it?
yamete
Did you know?
- While やめて is a command, in romantic contexts it can be used as a soft protest that does not actually intend for the action to stop.
- The word 'stop' inside やめて comes from the verb やめる, which can also mean 'to resign' or 'to quit one's job'.
- The command やめろ is strictly an imperative form, a grammatical structure that is used much less frequently in daily Japanese conversation than in English.
Examples in context
- やめてって言ってるでしょ！I said drop it!This sentence is useful for emphasizing that you have already told someone to drop it using the form やめて.Tatoeba #3552036 by arnab, translation #2405813 by CK
Example conversation
Haruto is trying to tease Himari about a mistake she made, but she is getting upset.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵、さっきの失敗、本当に面白かったよ！Himari, sakki no shippai, hontō ni omoshirokatta yo!Himari, that mistake you made earlier was really funny!
- 陽葵 Himariもう、その話はやめて。Mō, sono hanashi wa yamete.Enough, drop it.
- 大翔 Hirotoごめん、そんなに怒らないで。Gomen, sonna ni okoranaide.Sorry, don't be so mad.
- 陽葵 Himari本当に、もう嫌。Hontō ni, mō iya.Really, I've had enough.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
