Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
To report a 'don't' command, use 'not to' + the verb after the person being told.
- Replace 'don't' with 'not to' (e.g., 'Don't go' becomes 'not to go').
- Always include the person being told (e.g., 'He told ME not to...').
- Use reporting verbs like 'told', 'asked', or 'warned' to set the tone.
Overview
not to + 動詞の原形」という不定詞の否定形を使います。この「not to」という形は、日本語の「～ないように」と非常に相性が良いですが、英語特有の「動詞の目的語＋不定詞」という語順ルールを理解していないと、直訳調の不自然な英語になってしまいます。例えば、上司から「残業するな」と言われたことを伝える際、「He told me don't work overtime」としてしまうのは、日本人学習者に非常に多い誤りです。本稿では、この「not to」を使った否定命令の間接話法を、日本語の感覚と対比させながら徹底的に解説します。この構造をマスターすることで、あなたは報告や伝言をより正確かつ自然に行えるようになるはずです。tell, ask, warn, adviseなど）は、その後に「誰に（目的語）」＋「どうしてほしいか（不定詞）」というセットを要求します。肯定の命令なら「to + 動詞の原形」を使いますが、否定の場合はその「to」の直前に「not」を置くというルールになっています。He told me not to go. |The teacher warned us not to make noise. |to do）」という名詞的な形に変形させる必要があります。この「not」の位置が非常に重要です。toの前に置くことで、後ろの動詞の動作を打ち消す役割を果たします。これは日本語の「～する」という動詞を「～しない」という否定形に変える感覚とは異なり、英語独自の「不定詞の否定」というルールです。reporting verb）の選択によって、ニュアンスが変わります。単に伝えるならtold、頼むならasked、危険を警告するならwarnedといった具合です。日本語の「～しなさいと言った」という一辺倒な表現ではなく、相手の意図を汲み取った動詞を選ぶことで、英語の表現力は飛躍的に向上します。この構文は、時制の一致（He told meと過去形にしたら、その後の動詞も過去の影響を受ける）というルールも適用されますが、not to以降の形は変化しないため、実は非常に覚えやすいルールなのです。My boss |advised |me |not to |be late |My boss advised me not to be late.（上司は私に遅刻しないように忠告した。）not toは常にセットで動きます。この塊を一つの「禁止・否定指示」のパーツとして脳にインプットしてください。主語が誰であっても、過去形であっても、not toの形は変わりません。これが英語の文法の合理的な部分です。例えば、He told them not to smoke、She asked us not to leaveのように、目的語を変えるだけで無限に表現が広がります。- 1ルールや禁止事項の伝達: 会社や学校で、誰かから受けた指示を伝える場合です。
The manager told us not to use our phones during the meeting.（マネージャーは会議中にスマホを使わないよう私たちに言った。）
- 1警告や注意の伝達: 危険を伴うことや、避けるべきことを伝える場合です。
The doctor warned me not to eat sugar.（医者は私に砂糖を摂らないよう警告した。）
- 1アドバイスの伝達: 友人や先輩からの助言を伝える場合です。
My mentor advised me not to give up on my dream.（メンターは私に夢を諦めないよう忠告してくれた。）
- 1角を立てずに断る場合: 自分が命令するのではなく、「誰かがそう言っている」とすることで、直接的な表現を避けてマイルドに伝えることができます。これは日本人が好む「間接的な表現」にも通じます。
I'm sorry, my parents told me not to go out late.（ごめん、親に遅くまで出歩かないように言われていて。）
- 1
don'tをそのまま使ってしまう: 日本語の「～するな」を直訳しようとして、「He told me don't go」と言ってしまうミスです。これは日本語の「命令文」をそのまま英語の報告文に埋め込もうとするためです。英語では、命令文の「don't」は間接話法では必ず「not to」に変わるというルールを徹底してください。
- 1目的語の欠落: 「
He advised not to worry」のように、誰に言ったかを言わずに文を作ってしまうミスです。日本語では「（私に）言う」の「私に」を省略しても文が成立しますが、英語のtell,advise,warnなどの動詞は、誰に対する指示かを明示しないと不自然になります。「誰に」を必ず入れる癖をつけましょう。
- 1
forbidを使った際の二重否定: 「The teacher forbade us not to use phones」というミスです。forbid（禁止する）自体に「～させない」という否定の意味が含まれているため、そこにnotを足すと二重否定になってしまいます。forbidを使う場合は「forbade us to use」とするか、tellを使って「told us not to use」とするのが正解です。
not to」構文と混同しやすい表現を比較してみましょう。told me not to go | 行かないように言った | 報告動詞＋不定詞（間接命令） |said that I shouldn't go | 行くべきではないと言った | 接続詞that＋助動詞（意見の報告） |warned me against going | 行くことに対して警告した | against＋動名詞（強い警告） |shouldn't を使う表現は「意見」に近いですが、not to は「具体的な指示・命令」です。また、warned against -ing は少しフォーマルで強硬な響きがあります。B1レベルでは、まずは最も汎用性の高い not to を使いこなせるようになることが先決です。これらを使い分けることで、あなたの英語はより立体的になります。頑張りましょう！！2. Structure of Negative Reported Commands
| Reporting Verb | Object (Person) | Negative Particle | Infinitive | Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
told
|
me
|
not
|
to go
|
He told me not to go.
|
|
asked
|
him
|
not
|
to stay
|
She asked him not to stay.
|
|
warned
|
us
|
not
|
to touch
|
They warned us not to touch.
|
|
ordered
|
them
|
not
|
to move
|
The captain ordered them not to move.
|
|
begged
|
her
|
not
|
to cry
|
I begged her not to cry.
|
|
reminded
|
you
|
not
|
to forget
|
I reminded you not to forget.
|
Meanings
The structure used to relay a negative command, order, or request that someone else previously gave, without using their exact words.
Reporting a Direct Order
Used when someone in authority gives a firm instruction to stop or avoid an action.
“The police officer ordered the driver not to move.”
“My boss told me not to miss the deadline.”
Reporting a Polite Request
Used when someone asks nicely for an action to be avoided.
“She asked her roommate not to play loud music.”
“The librarian asked us not to talk so loudly.”
Reporting a Warning
Used when the instruction is for the person's safety or to avoid a negative consequence.
“The lifeguard warned the kids not to swim too far out.”
“My mom warned me not to walk home alone at night.”
Reference Table
| 直接命令 | 伝える動詞 | 目的語 | 間接命令 |
|---|---|---|---|
|
"Don't run!"
|
told
|
us
|
He told us not to run.
|
|
"Do not feed the animals."
|
warned
|
visitors
|
The zookeeper warned visitors not to feed the animals.
|
|
"Please don't be late."
|
asked
|
her
|
He asked her not to be late.
|
|
"Don't worry about it."
|
advised
|
me
|
She advised me not to worry about it.
|
|
"Don't touch!"
|
ordered
|
him
|
The guard ordered him not to touch.
|
|
"Don't forget your keys."
|
reminded
|
them
|
I reminded them not to forget their keys.
|
|
"Don't smoke here."
|
forbade
|
them
|
The manager forbade them to smoke here.
|
フォーマル度スペクトル
The supervisor instructed the employees not to disclose the password. (Workplace security)
The boss told us not to share the password. (Workplace security)
My boss said not to give out the password. (Workplace security)
Boss-man said: don't leak the pass. (Workplace security)
否定の間接命令：「not to」の公式
基本構造
- 主語 + 動詞 She told
- 目的語 me
- Not to not to
- 動詞の原形 forget
伝える動詞
- 言った (told) He told me
- 頼んだ (asked) She asked him
- 警告した (warned) They warned us
- 忠告した (advised) I advised her
- 命令した (ordered) The guard ordered them
- 禁じた (forbade) The rule forbade him
よくある間違い
- Don't / Didn't NOT 'told me don't'
- 動詞の形 NOT 'not to going'
- 目的語の欠落 NOT 'warned not to'
直接命令 vs. 間接否定命令
否定の間接命令への変換フローチャート
元の命令は否定形ですか（例：「Don't...」、「Do not...」）？
命令を受ける特定の人（目的語）がいますか？
直接命令に「Don't」や「Do not」が含まれていますか？
命令の主要な動詞は何ですか？
伝える動詞は正しい時制になっていますか（通常、過去の出来事を伝える場合は過去単純形）？
否定の間接命令を使う場面
禁止事項
- • ルールと規定
- • 法律
- • 立ち入り禁止区域
警告
- • 安全上の危険
- • 潜在的なリスク
- • 悪い結果
アドバイス
- • おすすめ
- • 提案
- • 指導（否定的な）
お願い
- • 丁寧な非行動
- • 正式な訴え
- • しないでと丁寧に頼むこと
レベル別の例文
He told me not to go.
She told him not to cry.
The teacher told us not to talk.
Mom told me not to eat the cake.
The doctor told her not to smoke.
I asked my friend not to be late.
The sign told us not to walk on the grass.
He warned me not to touch the oven.
The manager told the staff not to use the main elevator.
She begged him not to leave her alone.
The instructor warned us not to dive in the shallow end.
I told the kids not to make a mess in the living room.
The police ordered the protesters not to block the entrance.
The manual explicitly warns users not to open the battery compartment.
He advised me not to invest all my money in one stock.
The coach urged the players not to lose focus in the final minutes.
The judge admonished the witness not to speculate on the defendant's motives.
The treaty binds both nations not to develop nuclear weapons.
She cautioned her colleagues not to underestimate the competition.
The professor instructed the students not to cite Wikipedia in their final papers.
The board of directors petitioned the CEO not to proceed with the merger.
The document exhorts readers not to succumb to societal pressures.
He was strictly enjoined not to divulge the secret to anyone.
The guidelines implore visitors not to disturb the delicate ecosystem of the cave.
間違えやすい
Learners often try to use 'that' clauses for commands.
Using 'say' with an object or 'tell' without one.
Using 'not' with 'forbid'.
よくある間違い
He told me don't go.
He told me not to go.
She said me not to eat.
She told me not to eat.
I told not to run.
I told them not to run.
He told me to not touch.
He told me not to touch.
The doctor asked me don't smoke.
The doctor asked me not to smoke.
He warned me to not go.
He warned me not to go.
She told to him not to wait.
She told him not to wait.
He suggested me not to go.
He suggested that I not go. / He told me not to go.
The sign said not to enter.
The sign told us not to enter.
He told me not to forgot.
He told me not to forget.
He forbade me not to go.
He forbade me to go.
文型パターン
My ___ told me not to ___.
The ___ warned the ___ not to ___.
I would strongly advise you not to ___.
They were explicitly instructed not to ___.
Real World Usage
The safety officer told us not to enter the zone without a helmet.
I told you not to draw on the walls!
She told me not to post that video of her.
The doctor warned him not to exercise for two weeks.
The guide asked the group not to take photos inside the temple.
The officer ordered the suspect not to move his hands.
適切な動詞を選ぼう！
「Don't」や「Didn't」は避けて！
目的語を忘れずに！
直接的な表現を和らげるコツ
動詞の原形がカギ！
Smart Tips
Cross out the 'Don't' in your mind and write 'Not To' immediately.
Check if the original sentence had 'Please'. If yes, use 'asked'. If no, use 'told'.
Imagine the person is a bridge. You can't get to the 'not to' without crossing the person first.
Avoid 'to not' (split infinitive). Keep 'not' and 'to' together as 'not to'.
発音
Stress on 'Not'
In negative reported commands, the word 'not' is usually stressed to emphasize the prohibition.
Reduction of 'to'
The word 'to' is often reduced to a schwa sound /tə/.
Falling Intonation
He told me not to ↘go.
Conveys a final, firm command.
暗記しよう
記憶術
Remember 'NOT TO' — the 'NOT' always comes first, just like you say 'NO' before you do anything else.
視覚的連想
Imagine a big red 'X' (Not) standing in front of a 'To' sign. The 'X' blocks the path to the action.
Rhyme
When 'Don't' is what they said, put 'Not To' in your head.
Story
A boss tells an employee, 'Don't be late!' The employee goes home and tells his wife, 'My boss told me not to be late.' The wife then tells the kids, 'Your dad was told not to be late.' The chain of 'not to' keeps everyone on time.
Word Web
チャレンジ
Look at the next 3 'Don't' signs you see (e.g., 'Don't walk', 'Don't smoke') and say them out loud as reported commands: 'The sign told me not to...'
文化メモ
In the UK, 'told' is very common, but 'asked' is used frequently even for firm commands to maintain a level of politeness.
Americans often use 'said not to' in informal speech, even though 'told me not to' is grammatically 'better'.
In global business English, using 'warned' or 'instructed' is preferred over 'told' to sound more precise and professional.
The use of the infinitive to report commands dates back to Old English, though the 'not to' word order became standardized in Middle English as the auxiliary 'do' (don't) developed.
会話のきっかけ
What is something your parents always told you not to do when you were a kid?
Has a doctor ever warned you not to eat or drink something?
What did the flight attendant tell the passengers not to do during the flight?
If you were a boss, what would you tell your employees not to do?
日記のテーマ
よくある間違い
Test Yourself
The coach warned the players _____ late for practice.
Find and fix the mistake:
My sister told me don't touch her diary.
Arrange the words in the correct order:
All words placed
Click words above to build the sentence
Choose the correct sentence:
Score: /4
練習問題
8 exercisesThe teacher told the students ___ (not/talk) during the exam.
Find and fix the mistake:
He told me don't touch his phone.
The lifeguard ___ the children not to swim near the rocks.
She ___ me ___ late.
1. 'Don't smoke!' 2. 'Please don't wait.'
A: What did the boss say about the meeting? B: He told us ___.
A: He told me not to go. B: He told me to not go.
warned / not / the / us / to / fire / touch / man
Score: /8
Practice Bank
11 exercisesThe sign instructed drivers _____ their engines in the parking lot.
My manager asked me don't forget the report.
Choose the correct sentence:
Translate into English: 'Ella le aconsejó que no se rindiera.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Match the direct negative command with its correct reported form:
The police officer _____ anyone _____ the crime scene.
She reminded him not forgetting his keys.
Direct: "Please don't disturb me." Reported:
Translate into English: 'Nos prohibieron usar los móviles en la biblioteca.'
Arrange these words into a sentence:
Score: /11
よくある質問 (8)
Yes, but you must say 'said to me not to...' or just 'said not to...'. 'Told' is much more common and natural for commands.
No, it's a 'split infinitive'. It's very common in spoken English, but in formal writing or exams, 'not to' is the safer, more traditional choice.
If you don't want to mention the person, you can use 'said not to' or 'suggested not...ing'. For example: 'He said not to enter.'
Yes! Just like other reported speech, 'tomorrow' becomes 'the next day' and 'here' becomes 'there'.
Usually, 'mustn't' in direct speech is reported as 'not to'. For example: 'You mustn't touch it' becomes 'He told me not to touch it.'
Use the verb 'asked'. For example: 'Please don't go' becomes 'He asked me not to go.'
No, it is always the base form (infinitive). You don't add -ed, -s, or -ing.
You can use 'instructed', 'admonished', 'enjoined', or 'cautioned'.
Scaffolded Practice
1
2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
Me dijo que no lo hiciera
English uses 'not to + verb', Spanish uses 'that + subjunctive'.
Il m'a dit de ne pas le faire
The word order 'ne pas' is almost identical to 'not to'.
Er sagte mir, es nicht zu tun
The verb moves to the end in German.
Suru-na to iwareta
Japanese keeps the negative command form inside a quote-like structure.
Amara-ni alla af'al
Arabic requires a specific particle and verb mood change.
Ta jiao wo bu yao zuo
Chinese does not have an infinitive 'to' marker.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
関連動画
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