泣かないで
nakanaide
In Japanese, stop crying is said as 泣かないで (nakanaide).
This phrase is a request or command telling someone to cease weeping. While it can be a command, 泣かないで is often used as a sympathetic expression of comfort, similar to 'please don't cry' in English.
Which one should you use?
泣くな is a much harsher, more forceful command than 泣かないで and is typically used by males or in high-stress situations. 泣かないでくれ expresses a request that holds some emotional weight.
How does it change in a sentence?
Adding ください to the end of 泣かないで makes the request more polite and formal: 泣かないでください means Please don't cry.
How do you pronounce it?
nakanaide
Did you know?
- The concept of 'crying' is linked to the word 泣き寝入り, which describes the act of giving up on a grievance and going to sleep while weeping.
- The verb 泣く is also used for the sounds animals make, such as a cat's meow or a bird's chirp, which are described as 'crying' in Japanese.
- In Japanese culture, crying is often seen as a sign of deep sincerity or 'magokoro'. Telling someone 'don't cry' can sometimes be perceived as a subtle way of telling them to hide their true feelings or maintain social decorum.
Examples in context
- もう泣かないで。Now stop crying.Tatoeba #10746649 by bunbuku, translation #41072 by CK
- お願い、泣かないで。Please stop crying.Tatoeba #4856416 by tommy_san, translation #1476749 by weihaiping
- たろう、泣かないでTaro, don't cry.
- どんなことがあっても、泣かないでね、さくらNo matter what happens, don't cry, Sakura.
- 泣かないで。私に話してみる？Don't cry. Do you want to talk to me?
- 泣かないで。どうしたら助けられるか教えて。Don't cry. Tell me how I can help you.
- そんなに泣かないで。Sonna ni nakanaide.Don't cry so much.
Example conversation
Yui is comforting Ren after he had a bad day.
- 結衣 Yuiどうしたの？そんなに泣かないで。Doushita no? Sonna ni nakanaide.What's wrong? Don't cry so much.
- 蓮 Renごめん、どうしても涙が止まらないんだ。Gomen, doushitemo namida ga tomaranai nda.Sorry, I just can't stop the tears.
- 結衣 Yui大丈夫だよ、私がそばにいるから。Daijoubu da yo, watashi ga soba ni iru kara.It's okay, I'm right here with you.
- 蓮 Ren結衣、ありがとう。Yui, arigatou.Thank you, Yui.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
