Breakdown of suutu ni koohii wo kobosite ha ikemasen.
をwo
direct object particle
コーヒーkoohii
coffee
にni
target particle
スーツsuutu
suit
こぼすkobosu
to spill
〜て は いけません〜te ha ikemasen
must not
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Questions & Answers about suutu ni koohii wo kobosite ha ikemasen.
What is the role of the particle に in スーツにコーヒーをこぼしてはいけません?
The particle に here marks the target or location of the action “to spill.” In English “spill coffee on (someone’s) suit,” the suit is where the coffee lands. Japanese uses に to show that target: スーツに = “on the suit.”
Why is コーヒー marked with を instead of に?
コーヒーを is the direct object of the transitive verb こぼす (“to spill”). You spill something (coffee), so that something takes を. Meanwhile, スーツ is not the thing spilled but the place it lands, so it takes に.
What form is こぼして, and why is it used here?
こぼして is the て-form of こぼす. In Japanese, the て-form is often used to connect to another phrase or auxiliary. Here it links the action to はいけません to create a prohibition pattern: V-てはいけません = “You must not V.”
What does the construction ～てはいけません mean?
～てはいけません is a polite way to forbid or prohibit something. It literally means “If you do ～, it will not be allowed,” but idiomatically:
“You must not …”
So こぼしてはいけません = “You must not spill (it).”
Why is こぼす (transitive) used here instead of the intransitive こぼれる?
こぼす means “to spill (something),” implying an agent causing the spill. The speaker prohibits you from spilling coffee. こぼれる means “(the coffee) spills by itself,” with no direct agent. Since the sentence forbids your action, the transitive こぼす is correct.
Why is there no explicit subject in this sentence?
Japanese often omits the subject when context makes it clear. Here the context is a general rule or instruction—“you” or “one” is understood. So there’s no need to say あなたは or 皆さんは; it’s inferred.
Could I say こぼさないでください instead of こぼしてはいけません? Are they the same?
They both express “Don’t spill,” but with slightly different tones:
- こぼしてはいけません is a firm prohibition, like a rule or warning (“You must not spill”).
- こぼさないでください is a polite request (“Please don’t spill”).
Use ～てはいけません for rules/regulations and ～ないでください when asking someone courteously.
How would you say the same prohibition more casually or more strongly?
Casual:
こぼしちゃダメだよ (“Don’t spill it,” with the contraction ～ちゃダメ)
Stronger/plain:
こぼすな (imperative: “Don’t spill!”)
Alternative polite:
こぼしてはだめです (using だめ instead of いけません)