やめて！
yamete!
やめて！ (yamete!) is the Japanese way to say "stop!"
やめて！ is an exclamation used to tell someone to stop doing something that is annoying, inappropriate or harmful. It is generally used for actions or behaviors rather than for stopping physical movement, such as a vehicle.
Which one should you use?
While やめて is a common way to say "stop it" in an informal or pleading manner, やめろ is a much more forceful and harsh command.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can make the command more polite and less blunt by adding ください (kudasai) to the end, forming やめてください (yamete kudasai).
How do you pronounce it?
yamete!
Did you know?
- In high-stress emergency situations, Japanese speakers are more likely to shout ダメ! (dame), which means 'no' or 'useless', instead of やめて.
- In certain Japanese contexts, saying やめて with a rising intonation can actually function as a soft, playful way to flirt or tease during a game.
- The word comes from the verb やめる (yameru), which can also mean 'to resign' from a job or 'to quit' a habit like smoking.
Examples in context
- やめて！Stop!
- やめて！そんなことしないで。Yamete! Sonna koto shinaide.Stop! Don't do that.
- うるさい。やめて！Urusai. Yamete!You're noisy. Stop it!
- 冗談はやめて！Jōdan wa yamete!Stop joking around!
Example conversation
Hirotaki is teasing Himari by tickling her.
- 大翔 Hirotoあはは！くすぐったいよ！ahaha! kusuguttai yo!Hahaha! That tickles!
- 陽葵 Himariまだまだー！madamadaa!Not finished yet!
- 大翔 Hirotoお願いだから、やめて！onegai dakara, yamete!Please, stop it!
- 陽葵 Himariわかった、やめるね。wakatta, yameru ne.Alright, I'll stop.
