Asking for Permission: ใใฆใใใ
To ask 'May I...?' or 'Is it okay if I...?', Japanese uses the ~te mo ii form. It literally translates to 'Even if I do this, is it good?'
How to Ask and Give Permission
In English, we say 'May I open the window?' or 'You may sit here'. In Japanese, we attach 'mo ii' (also good) to the Te-form of the verb.
If you make it a question (ใใฆใใใใงใใ๏ผ), you are asking for permission.
If you state it as a fact (ใใฆใใใใงใ), you are giving permission to someone else.
You can also use this with the negative form (ใใชใใฆใใใ) to say 'You don't have to...'.
Conjugation Rules
Example Sentences
Teacher's Advice
If someone asks 'Tabete mo ii desu ka?' (May I eat?), how do you say no? Saying 'Iie, tabete mo ii ja arimasen' is WRONG! To deny permission, you must use the 'must not' grammar: '~te wa ikemasen'. So say: 'Iie, tabete wa ikemasen' (No, you must not eat).
JLPT Exam Patterns
- โขChoosing the correct response to a ~te mo ii question in listening sections (N5)
- โขThe opposite of ~te mo ii (You may) is ~te wa ikemasen (You must not) (N5)
- โขUnderstanding ~nakutemo ii (You don't have to) (N5)
Master Permissions
Practice asking for and giving permission in various situations.
Start Practice โ