～な
don’t (prohibitive)
Sentence-final な attached directly to a dictionary-form verb is a strong prohibition: 行くな (“don't go!”).
It is the negative mirror of the direct command. It's as blunt as 行け (“go!”), but forbidding the action instead of demanding it. In English it corresponds to a bare “don't ...!”.
1. Strong prohibition in speech
Between people speaking roughly, or in urgent situations, ～な forbids an action outright.
ここで遊ぶな。
“Don't play here.”
- ここ = here
- で = location marker (at)
- 遊ぶな（あそぶな）= don't play
2. Warnings and signs
Because it is short and forceful, ～な is common on warning signs.
芝生に入るな。
“Keep off the grass.”
- 芝生（しばふ）= lawn / grass
- に = into (direction marker)
- 入るな（はいるな）= don't enter
3. Softened everyday uses
In friendly casual speech, some ～な phrases lose their harshness and become reassurance, the most common being 心配するな (“don't worry”).
心配するな。大丈夫だよ。
“Don't worry. It's fine.”
- 心配するな（しんぱいするな）= don't worry
- 大丈夫（だいじょうぶ）= all right / fine
- だ = is (plain copula)
- よ = emphasis particle
Prohibitive な vs emotive なあ
The lengthened sentence-final なあ／なぁ is a completely different, emotive な: 寂しくなるなぁ means “(I'll) get lonely...”, a wistful sigh, not a prohibition. The short, sharp な right after a dictionary-form verb is the one that forbids.
How to form it
Dictionary form + な for every verb class. Nothing conjugates, which is exactly what makes this form easy to spot.
- 行く（いく）= to go → 行くな（いくな）= don't go
- 食べる（たべる）= to eat → 食べるな（たべるな）= don't eat
- する = to do → するな = don't do it
- 来る（くる）= to come → 来るな（くるな）= don't come
Key idea
A bare な glued straight onto the dictionary form means “don't!”. The verb itself never changes shape, so if the verb before な is conjugated, or the な is drawn out into なあ, you are looking at a different な.
Other N4 grammar
Updated .