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〜てはいけない

must not

Verb て-form + はいけない / はいけません

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て-form + はいけない states a prohibition: ここでたばこを吸ってはいけません, "you mustn't smoke here". Literally "if you do it, it won't do".

It sounds like a rule, so it's what teachers, parents and signs say. For a request, ないでください is softer, and for yourself, it's more natural to say what you have to do.

In speech ては becomes ちゃ and では becomes じゃ: 寝ちゃいけない, 飲んじゃだめ. だめ is a casual swap for いけない.

The は here is the particle, so it's pronounced wa, even inside this long ending.

Register: Casual speech shortens ては to ちゃ (and では to じゃ): 寝ちゃいけない.

Examples

  • ここでたばこを吸すってはいけません。

    You mustn't smoke here.

  • 授業中じゅぎょうちゅうに寝ねてはいけない。

    You mustn't sleep in class.

  • お酒さけを飲のんで車くるまを運転うんてんしてはいけません。

    You mustn't drive after drinking.

  • このボタンを押おしてはいけません。

    You mustn't press this button.

  • 図書館としょかんで大おおきい声こえで話はなしてはいけません。

    You mustn't talk loudly in the library.

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