<p>'要' in '不要' cannot be removed, because '不要' is a compound word that mean 'don't'(auxiliary verb) which is different from '不' (adv: not)</p>

<ul>
<li><p>不要说话/ 别说话 = Don't talk (demand) </p></li>
<li><p>不说话 = 'not speak'</p></li>
<li><p>看电影的时候请(不要)说话 - Please (don't) talk when watching movies (O)</p></li>
<li><p>看电影的时候请(别)说话 - Please (don't) talk when watching movies (O)</p></li>
<li><p>看电影的时候请(不)说话 - Please (not) talk when watching movies (X)</p></li>
</ul>

<p><em>他(不说话) = he (doesn't speak)</em></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-07T18:51:10.863Z
Thanks, got it 不要 should always be used (or 别)
information_interchange
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-07T18:51:55.807Z
However, it is a little confusing, since 要 also means "want". How to say "don't want"?
information_interchange
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-07T19:38:34.487Z
Don't want   is 不想
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-08T01:54:19.067Z
Or you could also say  "不想要 "
高鵬翔
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-09T00:49:47.983Z
I agree with @高鵬翔 . `你要不要?` the answer is 不要
information_interchange
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-09T01:08:49.940Z
To reply "你想不想 +verb?" , the answer is "想/ 不想"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-09T01:09:23.693Z
To reply "你要不要 +verb/noun" the answer is "要/ 不要"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-09T01:13:55.383Z
To reply "你想不想要 + noun" the answer is "想/ 不想" ;   "要/ 不要" or "我想要/ 我不想要"
Tang Ho
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-10T02:27:16.887Z
I just focus on "don't want", in my opinion, both 不想 and 不想要 can used , but depend on different situation and habit(Maybe like @TangHo said depend on verb or noun?). Just like if someone ask "Do you want this one?" I would translate it as "你想要這個嗎?" I don't want. "我不(想)要".   And  "Don't want" in google translate have both of it "不想要" and  "不要". So I said "could also say" , there is not only one answer about "don't want"  , have to consider the context. :)
高鵬翔
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-07T05:23:45.807Z
2020-06-07T05:40:03.990Z
2020-06-07T05:40:03.990Z
Tang Ho
<p>我们看电影的时候请不要说话(√)</p>

<p>我们看电影的时候请别说话(√)</p>

<p>我们看电影的时候请不说话(X)</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-08T04:29:57.877Z
Please answer the question whether 要 is needed.
zyy
CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-07T05:18:07.130Z
2020-06-07T05:19:14.160Z
2020-06-07T05:19:14.160Z
WJluan
<p>Currently on DuoLingo, and got this sentence: </p>

<pre><code>我们看电影的时候请不要说话
</code></pre>

<p>which means: </p>

<pre><code>Please don't talk when we watch movies.
</code></pre>

<p>My question: is the 要 strictly necessary here?
Google translate actually gives a slightly different translation of </p>

<pre><code>我们看电影的时候请不说话
</code></pre>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2020-06-07T03:14:39.850Z
要 is necessary in the sentence.  要 is necessary when express a demand. E. g.  不要说话！不要随意乱画！etc.
dan
<translation><simplified-characters><conversation><spoken>
不要说话 vs 不说话 (vs 别说话)
# 不要说话 vs 不说话 (vs 别说话)

(Asked by: username_0 on 2020-06-07)

Currently on DuoLingo, and got this sentence:

```
我们看电影的时候请不要说话

```

which means:

```
Please don't talk when we watch movies.

```

My question: is the 要 strictly necessary here?
Google translate actually gives a slightly different translation of

```
我们看电影的时候请不说话

```

**Tags:** translation, simplified-characters, conversation, spoken

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: 要 is necessary in the sentence.  要 is necessary when express a demand. E. g.  不要说话！不要随意乱画！etc.  

---

## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2020-06-07. Score: 2 | Accepted answer

'要' in '不要' cannot be removed, because '不要' is a compound word that mean 'don't'(auxiliary verb) which is different from '不' (adv: not)

* 不要说话/ 别说话 = Don't talk (demand)
* 不说话 = 'not speak'
* 看电影的时候请(不要)说话 - Please (don't) talk when watching movies (O)
* 看电影的时候请(别)说话 - Please (don't) talk when watching movies (O)
* 看电影的时候请(不)说话 - Please (not) talk when watching movies (X)

*他(不说话) = he (doesn't speak)*

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks, got it 不要 should always be used (or 别)  
> **username_0**: However, it is a little confusing, since 要 also means "want". How to say "don't want"?  
> **username_2**: Don't want   is 不想  
> **username_3**: Or you could also say  "不想要 "  
> **username_0**: I agree with @username_3 . `你要不要?` the answer is 不要  
> **username_2**: To reply "你想不想 +verb?" , the answer is "想/ 不想"  
> **username_2**: To reply "你要不要 +verb/noun" the answer is "要/ 不要"  
> **username_2**: To reply "你想不想要 + noun" the answer is "想/ 不想" ;   "要/ 不要" or "我想要/ 我不想要"  
> **username_3**: I just focus on "don't want", in my opinion, both 不想 and 不想要 can used , but depend on different situation and habit(Maybe like @username_2 said depend on verb or noun?). Just like if someone ask "Do you want this one?" I would translate it as "你想要這個嗎?" I don't want. "我不(想)要".   And  "Don't want" in google translate have both of it "不想要" and  "不要". So I said "could also say" , there is not only one answer about "don't want"  , have to consider the context. :)  

---

### Answer by username_4 on 2020-06-07. Score: 1

我们看电影的时候请不要说话(√)

我们看电影的时候请别说话(√)

我们看电影的时候请不说话(X)

> **Comments:**
> **username_5**: Please answer the question whether 要 is needed.  

---

