Video
Let’s watch this short video for a quick overview.
Source: gokigen japanese official YouTube Channel
Introduction
Want to ask “May I go to the bathroom?” or say “You can eat here”?
In Japanese, the expression V-て＋もいいです is used to give permission or to say something is okay to do. It’s also commonly used to ask for permission — polite, useful, and essential!
In this article, we’ll explore:
✔ How to form this expression using the te-form
✔ How to use it to give or ask for permission
✔ Real-life examples and common situations
✔ Practice and FAQs
Let’s learn how to say “It’s okay to do 〜” in natural Japanese!
1. What Is V-て＋もいいです?
This expression means:
- It’s okay to do 〜
- You may do 〜
- May I do 〜? (when used as a question)
It uses the て-form of a verb plus もいいです.
Examples:
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 電話してもいいです。 | You may make a phone call. |
| 公園で遊んでもいいですよ。 | You may play in the park. |
| A: トイレに行ってもいいですか。 B: いいですよ。 | A: May I go to the bathroom? B: Go ahead. |
| A: ここで写真を撮ってもいいですか。 B: はい、いいですよ。 | A: May I take a picture here? B: You may. |
Note: “いいですよ“
The final よ is a sentence-ending particle that adds emphasis and can make a statement more confident. It is very often used with てもいいです!
2. How to Form V-て＋もいいです
Step 1: Make the て-form of the verb
Use the standard て-form rules. Here’s a quick recap:
For ru-verbs
Just drop る and add て.
| Verb | て-form |
|---|---|
| 食べる (to eat) | 食べて |
| 開ける (to open) | 開けて |
| 起きる (to wake up) | 起きて |
| 見る (to see) | 見て |
For u-verbs
| Ending | Change to… | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| う / つ / る | って | 立つ (to stand up) → 立って 帰る (to return) → 帰って |
| む / ぶ / ぬ | んで | 飲む (to drink) → 飲んで 遊ぶ (to play) → 遊んで |
| く* | いて | 書く (to write) → 書いて 聞く (to hear) → 聞いて |
| ぐ | いで | 泳ぐ (to swim) → 泳いで |
| す | して | 話す (to speak) → 話して |
* one exception (u-verbs ending with く)
| Verb | て-form |
|---|---|
| 行く (to go) | 行って |
Irregular Verbs
| Verb | て-form |
|---|---|
| する (to do) | して |
| くる (to come) | きて |
Step 2: Add もいいです
| Verb | て-form | Final Form | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 食べる | 食べて | 食べてもいいです | You may eat |
| 飲む | 飲んで | 飲んでもいいです | You may drink |
| 話す | 話して | 話してもいいです | You may talk |
| 行く | 行って | 行ってもいいです | You may go |
| する | して | してもいいです | You may do |
| 来る | きて | きてもいいです | You may come |
3. Asking for Permission with 〜てもいいですか
To turn the sentence into a question, simply add か at the end:
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| 写真を撮ってもいいですか。 | May I take a picture? |
| テレビを見てもいいですか。 | May I watch TV? |
| 英語を話してもいいですか。 | May I speak in English? |
| カフェで電話してもいいですか。 | May I make a phone call in the café? |
Typical responses:
- はい、いいですよ。→ Yes, that’s fine.
- どうぞ。→ Go ahead.
- いいえ、だめです。→ No, you can’t. / No, that’s not allowed. (Very direct refusal)
- すみません、ご遠慮ください。→Excuse me, but please refrain [from doing that]. (Polite)
- それはちょっと…。 → Hmm, that’s a bit… (A soft and indirect way to refuse.)
- いいえ、〜てはいけません。 → No, you must not [do that]. (Strong prohibition, more formal than だめです)
4. Real-Life Usage Examples
| Situation | Japanese | English |
|---|---|---|
| At a restaurant | ここで食べてもいいですか。 | May I eat here? |
| Asking a teacher | トイレに行ってもいいですか。 | May I go to the restroom? |
| Giving permission | ここで写真を撮ってもいいです。 | You may take photos here. |
5. Practice: Turn These into 〜てもいいですか Sentences
- Sleep on the sofa
→ ソファで寝てもいいですか。 - Talk in the library
→ 図書館で話してもいいですか。 - Ride a bicycle
→ 自転車に乗ってもいいですか。 - Drink tea
→ お茶を飲んでもいいですか。 - Enter the house
→ 家に入ってもいいですか。
6. FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
- QWhat’s the difference between “〜てもいいです” and “〜てください”？
- A
“〜てもいいです” gives permission: “It’s okay to do 〜” or “You may.”
“〜てください” is a request: “Please do 〜.”
- QCan I use this in casual speech?
- A
Yes! Just drop the “です” part:
A: 家に行ってもいい？
B: いいよ。
- QWhat’s the opposite of 〜てもいいです？
- A
It’s 〜てはいけません, which means “You must not do 〜.”
Example: 写真を撮ってはいけません。(You must not take photos.)
- QWhat are some common ways to say “yes” and grant permission?
- A
Here are several common phrases to give permission:
- もちろんです: Of course. / Certainly.
- ええ、いいですよ: Yes, that’s fine. (Uses a slightly softer “yes” than はい)
- どうぞ: Please. / Go ahead. / Be my guest. (Very common and useful)
- かまいません: I don’t mind. / It’s not a problem. (Polite way to indicate no objection)
- QHow can I say “no” or deny permission politely?
- A
Denying permission directly can sometimes sound blunt. Indirect refusals are very common and often preferred.
- すみません、ちょっと…: “I’m sorry, but…”
This is a very common, polite, and indirect way to refuse. The word 「ちょっと」 implies difficulty or inconvenience, and trailing off signals refusal without explicitly saying “no”. - ごめんなさい、それはできません: I’m sorry, that’s not possible / you can’t do that. (A polite but clearer way to refuse.)
- 申し訳ございませんが、ご遠慮ください: I am very sorry, but please refrain [from doing that]. (A polite refusal often heard in public spaces or service contexts.)
- すみません、ちょっと…: “I’m sorry, but…”
Conclusion
Now you can confidently:
✅ Ask for permission using 〜てもいいですか
✅ Give permission using 〜てもいいですよ
✅ Use the て-form of verbs naturally in conversation
✅ Understand the difference between polite requests and permissions
🎯 Try writing a few questions and answers using this pattern with a friend or teacher!
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