Reading Instructions and Manuals

By the end of this lesson, you will be able to understand and follow common patterns found in Japanese instructions and manuals, including step-by-step procedures, warnings, and conditional actions.

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Japanese instructions and manuals often use specific grammar patterns and vocabulary to tell you what to do, what not to do, and what happens if you do something. The key patterns are:

• て-form + ください (te-form + kudasai) – "Please do..."
• ないでください (naide kudasai) – "Please don't do..."
• ～てはいけません (～te wa ikemasen) – "You must not do..."
• ～なければなりません (～nakereba narimasen) – "You must do..."
• ～と (～to) – "If/when you do X, then Y happens"

These patterns appear constantly in manuals, recipes, assembly guides, and safety instructions.

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1. Basic Commands: てください (te kudasai)

This is the polite way to give instructions.

Example from a manual:

ボタンを押してください。
Botan o oshite kudasai.
Please push the button.押

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2. Prohibitions: ないでください (naide kudasai)

To tell someone not to do something, use the ない-form + でください.

Example from a manual:

水で洗わないでください。
Mizu de arawanaide kudasai.
Please don't wash with water.水洗

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3. Strong Prohibition: ～てはいけません (～te wa ikemasen)

This is a stronger "must not" – often found in safety warnings.

Pattern: て-form + はいけません

機械に触れてはいけません。
Kikai ni furete wa ikemasen.
You must not touch the machine.機械触

この部屋に入ってはいけません。
Kono heya ni haitte wa ikemasen.
You must not enter this room.部屋入

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4. Obligation: ～なければなりません (～nakereba narimasen)

This means "must do" or "have to do."

Pattern: ない-form (remove ない) + なければなりません

Example from a manual:

電源を切らなければなりません。
Dengen o kiranakereba narimasen.
You must turn off the power.電源切

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5. Conditional: ～と (～to) – "If/When"

This pattern describes what happens automatically when you do something.

Pattern: Verb (dictionary form / ない-form) + と + result

このボタンを押すと、電源が入ります。
Kono botan o osu to, dengen ga hairimasu.
When you push this button, the power turns on.押電源入

設定を変えると、画面が変わります。
Settei o kaeru to, gamen ga kawarimasu.
If you change the settings, the screen changes.設定変画面

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Here are real-style manual sentences:

1. 取扱説明書をよく読んでください。
   Toriatsukai setsumeisho o yoku yonde kudasai.
   Please read the instruction manual carefully.取扱説明書読

   取扱説明書読

2. 高温の場所に置かないでください。
   Kōon no basho ni okanaide kudasai.
   Please do not place in high-temperature locations.高温場所置

   高温場所置

3. この部品を取り外してはいけません。
   Kono buhin o torihazushite wa ikemasen.
   You must not remove this part.部品取外

   部品取外

4. 使用後は必ず電源を切らなければなりません。
   Shiyōgo wa kanarazu dengen o kiranakereba narimasen.
   After use, you must always turn off the power.使用後必電源

   使用後必電源

5. このランプが点滅すると、電池が切れています。
   Kono ranpu ga tenmetsu suru to, denchi ga kirete imasu.
   When this lamp flashes, the battery is dead.点滅電池切

   点滅電池切

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❌ Mixing up ～てはいけません and ～なければなりません

These are opposites:

• ～てはいけません = must NOT
• ～なければなりません = must DO

Wrong: ドアを開けてはいけません。(You must not open the door) – but you meant "You must open the door."開

Correct for "must open": ドアを開けなければなりません。開

Tip: Think of いけません as "it won't go" (prohibition) and なければなりません as "if not, it won't become" (obligation).

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Fill in the blanks with the correct form.

1. ここに名前を＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿。 (書く / write)
   (Please write your name here.)
   → 書いてください名前書

   名前書

2. 機械の近くで＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿。 (走る / run)
   (You must not run near the machine.)
   → 走ってはいけません機械近走

   機械近走

3. 毎日パスワードを＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿。 (変える / change)
   (You must change the password every day.)
   → 変えなければなりません毎日変

   毎日変

4. このボタンを＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿。 (押す / push)
   (Please don't push this button.)
   → 押さないでください押

   押

5. 温度が高くなると、＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿。 (警告が出る / a warning appears)
   (When the temperature gets high, a warning appears.)
   → 警告が出ます温度高警告出

   温度高警告出

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You now know the core patterns for reading Japanese instructions and manuals:

Next Step: Practice by finding a real Japanese product manual online (e.g., for an appliance or app) and try to find 3 examples of each pattern. This will build your reading speed and confidence with real-world materials.