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N3

んじゃない

Isn't it…? (gentle guess or check); Don't…! (casual prohibition)

いつまでもケラケラしながら話はなしてんじゃない!

Don't keep laughing while you're talking!

Explanation

「んじゃない」 has 3 uses

1Isn't it…?

With rising tone, gently gives your view or asks for agreement: 「これ、おいしいんじゃない?」

本当ほんとうは彼かれも来きたかったんじゃない?

Really though, didn't he want to come too?

山本やまもとさんなら、もう帰かえったんじゃない?

Yamamoto? Hasn't she gone home already?

2Don't!

With falling tone after a dictionary-form verb, a sharp 'don't', often from parent to child: 「走るんじゃない!」

僕ぼくをバカにするんじゃない!

Don't make a fool of me!

いつまでもケラケラしながら話はなしてんじゃない!

Don't keep laughing while you're talking!

3Shouldn't have

「〜んじゃなかった」: regret for something you did, 'I shouldn't have…': 「あんなこと言うんじゃなかった」.

大学だいがくを中退ちゅうたいするんじゃなかった…。

I shouldn't have dropped out of university…

事故じこを起おこした…スピードを出だすんじゃなかった。

I've had an accident… I shouldn't have been speeding.

Mixed up with

The tone is often tested in quick-response listening. Rising 「~んじゃない?」: answer by agreeing or giving your view. Falling 「~んじゃない!」: a strict prohibition and scolding.

For the guessing use, add 「な」 after nouns and na-adjectives: 「病気なんじゃない?」, 「暇なんじゃない?」. A bare noun is wrong.

Examples

1Isn't it…?

  1. 本当ほんとうは彼かれも来きたかったんじゃない?

    Really though, didn't he want to come too?

  2. 山本やまもとさんなら、もう帰かえったんじゃない?

    Yamamoto? Hasn't she gone home already?

2Don't!

  1. 嘘うそをつくんじゃない。

    You shouldn't lie.

  2. 僕ぼくをバカにするんじゃない!

    Don't make a fool of me!

3Shouldn't have

  1. 大学だいがくを中退ちゅうたいするんじゃなかった…。

    I shouldn't have dropped out of university…

  2. 事故じこを起おこした…スピードを出だすんじゃなかった。

    I've had an accident… I shouldn't have been speeding.

Tested 2 times in past papers

N2 · Jul 2017, Q43N3 · Jul 2013, Q48