What is the difference between these imperative forms:
nas-ai
nas-are
nas-aimase
nas-aimashi
(As far as I understand these verb forms apply only to the honorific –aru verbs irassharu, ossharu, kudasaru, gozaru and nasaru, or am I mistaken?)
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Related: japanese.stackexchange.com/a/32706/7810– broccoli forestCommented Dec 16, 2017 at 4:46
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So, the difference is stylistic and is not related to the meaning in any way (adding nuances, etc.). I’d appreciate it if someone could give me a hint on how these four forms came about (e.g. from different dialects, sound changes and reduction over time, etc.)– user18849Commented Dec 16, 2017 at 12:57
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2 Answers
nasai and nasaimase are イ音便 forms for nasare and nasarimase. nasaimashi is an uncommon alternative for nasaimase. nasai and nasaimase are different in that mase is more formal (for a customer perhaps) and might give a kind of refined air to it in some cases.
You could hear nasai and rarely nasaimase in formal situations but won't nasare and nasaimasi. The latter two are archaic.
