Breakdown of kaigityuu ha sumaho wo tukawanaide kudasai.
はha
topic particle
をwo
direct object particle
使うtukau
to use
スマホsumaho
smartphone
くださいkudasai
please
〜ないで〜naide
negative request form
会議中kaigityuu
during the meeting
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Questions & Answers about kaigityuu ha sumaho wo tukawanaide kudasai.
What does 会議中 mean, and how is 中 read here?
会議中 (かいぎちゅう) means "during the meeting" or "in the middle of a meeting." When 中 attaches to a noun to mean "during/in the middle of," it’s read ちゅう (e.g., 勉強中, 使用中, 通話中).
Why is は used after 会議中? Could I use に instead?
会議中は makes “during the meeting” the topic and states a general rule. 会議中に simply marks the time and is also fine: 会議中にスマホを使わないでください. 会議中には adds emphasis/contrast, like “at least during the meeting.”
What’s the difference between 会議中, 会議の間, and 会議中に?
- 会議中 is concise and most common in signs/instructions.
- 会議の間 emphasizes the whole duration: 会議の間、スマホを使わないでください.
- 会議中に marks the time adverbially; nuance differences here are small.
Why not say 会議の中?
会議の中 literally means “inside/within the meeting” and isn’t the natural way to say “during.” For time “during,” use 〜中, 〜の間, or 〜中に. So prefer 会議中 or 会議の間.
What does スマホ refer to, and is it formal enough?
スマホ is the casual abbreviation of スマートフォン (smartphone). For formal contexts/signage, you’ll often see 携帯電話, スマートフォン, or モバイル端末. If you need extra formality, avoid the slangy スマホ.
Why is を used after スマホ?
を marks the direct object of the transitive verb 使う. So スマホを使う = “use a smartphone.” In casual speech you might hear the を dropped before a pause (スマホ、使わないでください), but keep it in writing.
How is 使わないでください formed?
Dictionary form 使う → negative 使わない → negative connective 使わないで → add polite request ください. The whole means “please don’t use.” Without ください, 使わないで can be a casual “don’t” to someone you’re close to.
Is the で in 使わないで the particle で?
No. 〜ないで is a set negative connective meaning “without doing / don’t do.” It’s unrelated to the location/instrumental particle で.
Why not 使わなくてください?
Standard Japanese uses 〜ないでください for “please don’t…”. 〜なくてください is ungrammatical as a request. 〜なくて appears in other patterns like reasons or permission: 使わなくてもいい (“it’s okay not to use it”).
How polite or strong is 使わないでください?
It’s a straightforward, polite request—appropriate for signs and for peers/subordinates. To a superior, make it more indirect: 会議中はスマホのご使用はお控えいただけますか, ご遠慮ください, or 使わないでいただけますか. On a sign, 使わないでください is standard.
How do I express a strict rule or prohibition?
Use 〜てはいけません: 会議中はスマホを使ってはいけません (“You must not use…”). For signage: 会議中のスマホ使用は禁止です or simply 会議中スマホ禁止.
Why is it 使わない, not 使いない? How do negatives of う‑verbs work?
For う‑verbs, replace the final う with the あ‑row plus ない: 使う → 使わない, 買う → 買わない, 待つ → 待たない. Verbs ending in う take わない (not あない) for euphony.
Can I use 使わずに instead of 使わないで?
〜ずに also means “without doing” and feels a bit more formal/literary. For the direct request, the fixed expression is 〜ないでください. Use 〜ずに when it modifies another verb or with a noun/お願い: スマホを使わずにご参加ください / スマホを使わずにお願いします.
What’s the difference between 使う and 使用する?
使う is everyday “use.” 使用する is formal/technical. On notices you’ll see スマホの使用はご遠慮ください (“Please refrain from using smartphones”).
Why is there no explicit subject like “you”?
Japanese often omits obvious subjects. With ください, the listener is understood as the subject of the action. Context supplies “your” smartphone.
Can I topicalize the object: スマホは会議中使わないでください?
Yes. スマホは adds contrast—“as for smartphones (at least), don’t use them during the meeting”—implying other things may be okay. 会議中はスマホを… frames it as a rule about the time period.
Is spacing like in the example normal? What’s the natural written form?
Standard Japanese doesn’t use spaces between words. The natural version is 会議中はスマホを使わないでください。 The spaces in your example are for learners.
Are there softer or more casual alternatives?
Casual: 会議中、スマホ使わないでね / 使わないでくれる？. Softer formal: 会議中はスマホのご使用はお控えください or マナーモード設定のうえ、ご使用はお控えください.
Can I write ください in kanji?
When it’s the request auxiliary, write ください in kana. Use 下さい (kanji) only when it’s the main verb “to give” (e.g., 水を下さい). Signs almost always use kana ください.
Is 会議中で ever correct?
Not for “during.” 〜中で can mean “among/within” for sets (e.g., 参加者の中で), but time “during” uses 〜中, 〜の間, or 〜中に, not 〜中で.
How is the whole sentence pronounced?
会議中はスマホを使わないでください: かいぎちゅう は すまほ を つかわないで ください. In natural speech it flows without pauses between words; the は is pronounced “わ.”