けんか は ここ で しては いけない。
Kenka wa koko de shite wa ikenai.
You must not fight here.
This pattern is all about telling folks what they can’t do. It’s a straight-up prohibition, a command to not do somethin’. It’s like when the head honcho says, “Don’t you dare touch my money,” or when your crew leader tells you, “You better not snitch.” It’s not a suggestion; it’s a rule. When you hear this, you know you gotta fall in line.
| Verb Form (Type) | Conjugation | English |
| Group 1 (e.g., のむ – nomu) | のんではいけない (nonde wa ikenai) | must not drink |
| Group 2 (e.g., たべる – taberu) | たべてはいけない (tabete wa ikenai) | must not eat |
| Group 3 (e.g., する – suru) | してはいけない (shite wa ikenai) | must not do |
| (e.g., くる – kuru) | きてはいけない (kite wa ikenai) | must not come |
Think of ~てはいけない like a “No Trespassing” sign on a fence around your turf. That sign ain’t askin’ you politely to stay out; it’s straight-up tellin’ you to keep your feet off the property. If you cross that line, there’s gonna be problems. The sign is the rule, and ~てはいけない is how you state that rule in Japanese. It’s the ultimate “you can’t do that” signal, loud and clear.
Peep these words before you run the examples.
みっこくする (Mikkoku suru)
English: To snitch; to rat out.
Look, in this life, there’s a code, you feel me? And the number one rule is you don’t talk to the pigs. You don’t tell on your homies. This word right here is what you do when you break that code. It’s when you snitch. It’s what the FBI gets guys to do to their crew in every mob movie you’ve ever seen, from “Goodfellas” to “The Godfather.” A real one never mikkoku suru.
わすれる (Wasureru)
English: To forget.
Sometimes, a dude just needs to forget, you know? Like, forget where he stashed the cash, forget the homie he had to leave behind, or just forget the struggle for a minute. That’s what this word is. It’s when your mind blanks out. You got to have a short memory in this game, or the stress will get to you.
ぬすむ (Nusumu)
English: To steal; to jack.
In this world, you either got it or you don’t. And if you ain’t got it, sometimes you just gotta take it. This word is about taking something that ain’t yours. Whether it’s a ride, a piece of jewelry, or a whole bank vault, this is what you call it. You know, like every heist movie ever made, from “Ocean’s Eleven” to “Heat.”
きょか なく (Kyoka naku)
English: Without permission.
This ain’t a permission slip for school. In the streets, you don’t ask for permission. You just do what needs to be done. This is what you do when you ain’t got the okay. You do it “without permission.” It’s the move you make when you gotta get in and out, no questions asked.
うそ を つく (Uso o tsuku)
English: To lie; to deceive.
The truth is a luxury, my man. And sometimes, you gotta do what you gotta do to stay ahead. This phrase right here is about lying. It’s what you do when you give the cops a fake name, or you tell your enemies you’re cool when you’re really plotting their downfall. It’s all about deception, and this phrase covers it all.
Check out these sentences and get a feel for how to lay down the law.
ボス に いった こと は わすれては いけない。
Bosu ni itta koto wa wasurete wa ikenai.
You must not forget what the boss told you.
みっこく しては いけない。
Mikkoku shite wa ikenai.
You must not snitch.
この しごと は だれにも みられては いけない。
Kono shigoto wa darenimo mirarete wa ikenai.
This job must not be seen by anyone.
ボス に いった こと は わすれては いけない。
Bosu ni itta koto wa wasurete wa ikenai.
You must not forget what the boss told you.
ボス が はなしている とき に しゃべっては いけない。
Bosu ga hanashiteiru toki ni shabette wa ikenai.
You must not talk while the boss is speaking.
くみ の かね を ぬすんでは いけない。
Kumi no kane o nusunde wa ikenai.
You must not steal the gang’s money.
きょか なく やつ を シメテは いけない。
Kyoka naku yatsu o shimete wa ikenai.
You must not beat up that guy without permission.
その おんな に おれたち の けいかく を はなしては いけない。
Sono onna ni oretachi no keikaku o hanashite wa ikenai.
You must not tell that woman about our plan.
わたし の なわばり で ドラッグ を うっては いけない。
Watashi no nawabari de doraggu o utte wa ikenai.
You must not sell drugs on my turf.
ボス に うそ を ついては いけない。
Bosu ni uso o tsuite wa ikenai.
You must not lie to the boss.
Now you know how to lay down the rules. Don’t be forgettin’ it.
Peace out.
Leave a comment