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Putting な after a plain verb turns it into [negative
imperative](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/questions/1585/about-the-part-
in-negative-imperative-verb-form-e-g).

But I noticed that in spoken Japanese, putting な after conjunctive form (連用形)
turns it into positive imperative. For example:

> 遊びに行きなよ。

Is this usage standard or colloquial? Also, it seems that it's usually used by
elders towards younger people so does it have special nuances, for example
maybe like patronizing?
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2011-08-17T14:56:04.093
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nuances imperatives particle-な
Using な in positive instead of negative imperative (e.g. 行きな)
By popular demand:

That's not the negative imperative particle. Rather, it's an abbreviation of
なさい, probably via the elided form なはい or なあ. See
[here](http://www.excite.co.jp/dictionary/japanese/?search=%E3%81%AA&match=beginswith&itemid=14953500).
It's colloquial _and_ standard (meaning everyone understands what it means).

Your observation that it's a bit patronising is probably correct—notice that
なさい has similar connotations—but I'm not a usage expert, so I'll let someone
else answer that part of your question.
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2011-08-19T02:37:02.390
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Using な in negative imperative  

辞書形 + な  
行く + な -> 行くな = don't go  
食べる + な -> 食べるな = don't eat

遊びに行きなよ。(遊びに行きなさいという意味です) = let's go to play  
ケーキを食べなさいの意味はケーキを食べましょうと同じと思います。
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2011-08-19T04:45:46.090
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“な” (and its variation “なよ”) is a suffix to the verb used in imperative form.
It's a colloquial version of "...しなさい."

It has a bit of patronizing tone, but sounds much softer, familiar, and
amicable than blunt imperative forms of saying, like “行け,” “食べろ,” “読め,” and
“言え,” instead of saying “(気を付けて)行きな,” “(ゆっくり)食べな,” “(最後まで)読みな,” and
“(はっきり)言いな.”.

“な/なよ” is used often to a child by his / her parents, to a youth by an
elderly, to a junior by a senior (in school, in workshop) , or among peers.
You mustn’t use “な” to your parents, seniors, teachers, police and those whom
you are not familiar with.
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