やめてください
The English phrase 'please stop' is translated into Japanese as やめてください.
やめてください is used to request someone to stop doing something. For a more formal request to stop an ongoing activity or event, you can use 中止してください.
Which one should you use?
While やめてください is used to ask someone to stop an action or behavior, とまってください is used to ask someone to stop moving or to stop a vehicle.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
やめてください is a standard polite way to request that someone cease an action, suitable for most social situations. In contrast, the informal やめて is a short and simple phrase commonly used among friends or peers. The imperative form やめろ is much stronger and more aggressive than やめてください, often used in anger or by males in high-tension situations.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase やめてください is the polite version of the informal command やめて.
Did you know?
- In high-stress situations, Japanese speakers may omit the verb entirely and just say もう ('mou') with a specific tone to convey 'stop it already' or 'enough'.
- In formal business contexts, instead of using やめてください, speakers often use an indirect phrase like ご遠慮ください ('go-enryo kudasai') to ask people to stop or refrain from doing something.
- In certain contexts, やめてください is used as a soft rejection of a romantic advance, acting as a polite way to say 'no' without being overtly confrontational.
Examples in context
- やめてください。Please stop.This sentence demonstrates the phrase やめてください.Tatoeba #10901607 by small_snow, translation #2111569 by CK
- 喧嘩はやめてください。Please stop fighting.This sentence uses やめてください to ask someone to stop fighting.Tatoeba #175417 by bunbuku, translation #1326102 by CK
- 本当にやめてください。Please stop, for real.This sentence uses やめてください to emphasize a request to stop.Tatoeba #11592634 by small_snow, translation #11760998 by end
- ごめんなさい、大きな声で話すのをやめてください。Excuse me, please stop talking loudly.
- ちょっとやめてHey, please stop.
- 9 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Kenta is teasing Yui about a small mistake.
- 健太 Kenta結衣さんの間違い、面白いね。Yui-san no machigai, omoshiroi ne.Yui's mistake is funny, isn't it?
- 結衣 Yuiもう、やめてください。Mou, yamete kudasai.Oh, please stop it.
- 健太 Kentaそんなに怒らないでよ。Sonna ni okoranaide yo.Don't get so angry.
- 結衣 Yui本当にやめてください。Hontou ni yamete kudasai.Really, please stop.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
