といってもいい
JLPT Level: N4
Meanings
You could say that
One could say that
It might be fair to say that
Usage
Clause + といってもいい
Noun + といってもいい
Plain non-past verb + といってもいい
Explanation
といってもいい is used when you want to acknowledge that something could be described in a certain way, but with a nuance of slight reservation or concession. It signals that the speaker is offering a cautious or softened judgment—accepting a point as true to some extent, even if there are caveats. It’s common when introducing a useful or acceptable evaluation that isn’t absolute or definitive. The phrase often appears after a statement that could be considered an opinion, a comparison, or a general assessment, to suggest, “you could say that …” or “one could argue that …”.
この値段は高いと言ってもいいだろう。
このねだんはたかいといってもいいだろう。
You could say that this price is high.
彼の説明は十分だと言ってもいい。
かれのせつめいはじゅうぶんだといってもいい。
One could say his explanation is sufficient.
この本は難しいと言ってもいいが、読み進めれば楽しくなる。
このほんはむずかしいといってもいいが、よみすすめればたのしくなる。
You could say this book is difficult, but once you keep reading it becomes enjoyable.
彼女は初心者と言ってもいいくらいのレベルだ。
かのじょはしょしんしゃといってもいいくらいのレベルだ。
She’s at a level one could call beginner.