なさい details

write + do it — firm imperative from above

kaki nasai

do it — firm imperative from above

meaning: write

もう遅おそいから、早はやく寝ねなさい。

mou osoi kara, hayaku nenasai.

It's late — go to bed. casual

ほら、ごはんだよ。手てを洗いあらいなさい。

hora, gohan da yo. te o arai nasai.

Hey, dinner’s ready — wash your hands. casual

contraction

Examples

do it — a firm but caring order from someone with standing over the listener

もう遅おそいから、早はやく寝ねなさい。

mou osoi kara, hayaku nenasai.

It's late — go to bed. casual

ほら、ごはんだよ。手てを洗あらいなさい。

hora, gohan da yo. te o arainasai.

Hey, dinner’s ready — wash your hands. casual

ほら、こぼれるよ。ちゃんと前まえを見みな。

hora, koboreru yo. chanto mae o mina.

Hey, you'll spill it — watch where you're going. casual

次つぎの文ぶんを英語えいごに訳やくしなさい。

tsugi no bun o eigo ni yakushinasai.

Translate the following sentence into English. neutral

Formation

{V-masu-stem}なさいattaches to ます-stem

Variant notes

な — clipped and lighter — ほら、ちゃんと食[た]べな。speech only, never in written instructions

Notes

Don't confuse clipped な with the prohibitive な — masu-stem 食べな means "eat up", dictionary-form 食べるな means "don't eat". なさい never travels upward, not even wrapped in polite endings.

Related patterns

Similar

てください
なさい commands down a height that must already exist — parent to child, teacher to class, exam paper to student; てください requests without claiming rank, so a clerk can say it to a customer where なさい would insult.