てもいい
Meanings
- It's okay to do something
- You may do something
- It's permissible to do something
- ~ is also fine to do
About this pattern
Explanation
This grammar expresses permission or allowance. It is used when you want to say that it is acceptable or permissible to do something, or that a certain situation is fine. The てもいい form follows the conjugation of the word before もいい: for verbs use the て-form, for i-adjectives use the く-form plus てもいい, for na-adjectives use で plus もいい, and for nouns simply use でもいい. It is common in casual conversation, and can be used to ask for permission (with a rising intonation) or to give permission. It carries a soft nuance of “it’s okay if…” rather than a strict rule.
Learn in context
Example sentences
May I borrow this book?
It’s okay to go home early today.
It’s alright if this problem is difficult.
It’s fine if it’s quiet.
Being a student is fine.
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More N5 patterns
to be; is; equals; identifies as
View detailsto be; is; am; used to state something politely
View detailsAs for... (highlights sentence topic); Topic marker used to indicate what the sentence is about; Marks the topic of the sentence, sometimes with contrast
View detailsalso; too; as well; even; either; neither
View detailsthis (near the speaker); this thing; this one
View detailsthat; that thing (near the listener); the thing referred to earlier
View details