てはいけない (Must not)

Must not, May not

JLPT N5

Pattern

Verb (て-form) + はいけない

How it works

て-form + はいけない means “must not / may not”: a rule or prohibition. The polite form is てはいけません. It's the opposite of てもいい.

Examples

じゅぎょう中にねてはいけません。You must not sleep during class.
ここに車をとめてはいけません。You may not park here.

Further reading

Bunpro N5 · Lesson 9

Put your practice together

Work through a complete paper at your own pace or choose a timed mock exam. No account is needed to begin.

Choose a practice session