You use this to ask for permission. You can also use it to suggest a different idea. It means 'Is it not okay if...?' or 'Can't I...?'
Verb [じゃ-form] + だめ？Primary
Noun + じゃ + だめ？
な-Adjective + じゃ + だめ？
You use this to ask for permission. You can also use it to suggest a different idea. It means 'Is it not okay if...?' or 'Can't I...?'
もう一杯飲んじゃだめ？
Can't I have one more drink? Is that not okay?
え、昨日あそこで遊んじゃだめだったの？知らなかった…
Huh? Was it not okay to play over there yesterday? I had no idea...
今日の会議、リモート参加じゃだめですかね？
For today's meeting, would it be bad if I participated remotely, I wonder?
なんで正直に言わないんじゃだめなの？
Why is it no good to not say it honestly?
このデザインじゃだめかな…もっとシンプルにしないと。
I wonder if this design is no good... I have to make it simpler.
This phrase is like asking, "What if we do it this way instead?" It adds a reason to your question. It makes your question sound more thoughtful.
This is like '〜ちゃだめ？'. You use '〜じゃだめ？' when the て-form of a verb ends in '〜で'. For example, '飲んで' becomes '飲んじゃだめ？'. You use '〜ちゃだめ？' when the て-form ends in '〜て'. For example, '食べて' becomes '食べちゃだめ？'. You also use '〜じゃだめ？' with nouns and な-adjectives.
Use this when you want to ask for something. You know it might not be okay. But you hope for an exception. Your voice goes up at the end. This shows you are asking for a favor.
Track your mastery
Kumi's KMT system tracks your mastery across kanji, vocabulary, grammar, and reading. Create a free account to use it on 220,000+ concepts.