N553/98
てもいい
Verb (て-form) + もいいい-adjective + くてもいいな-adjective + でもいいNoun + でもいい
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.