〜なさい

A soft but clear command used by someone in a higher position toward someone lower: parents to children, teachers to students, or in test instructions. It is politer than the plain imperative 〜しろ／〜え but still an order, so you must not use it to a superior or a customer. In exam papers and textbooks it appears in forms like 「答えなさい」「書きなさい」. Casual speech often shortens it to 〜な (早く食べな).

• 早く寝なさい。

  はやくねなさい。

  Go to bed early.

• 次の質問に日本語で答えなさい。

  つぎのしつもんににほんごでこたえなさい。

  Answer the following questions in Japanese.

• ゲームをやめて、宿題をしなさい。

  げーむをやめて、しゅくだいをしなさい。

  Stop playing games and do your homework.