JAPANESE STUDY SYSTEMKOTOWA 词和
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SILVER ERA · ことばを、少しずつ。
JLPT BANDN5 BEGINNER → N1 ADVANCED

〜てもいい

N5
te mo ii

may; it's okay to

Formation

Verb-te + もいい

Chinese meanings

可以做……

Chinese formation

动词て形+もいい

Chinese usage

表示允许做某事,或用问句请求许可。

Chinese notes

加ですか可询问是否允许。

Examples

  • この辞じ書しょを使つかってもいいですか。
    May I use this dictionary?
    我可以使用这本词典吗?
  • 今日きょうは早はやく帰かえってもいいです。
    You may go home early today.
    今天你可以早点回家。
  • ここにすわってもいいですか。
    Is it all right if I sit here?
    我可以坐在这里吗?

Notes

Add ですか to ask for permission. A polite refusal is often just すみません、ちょっと….

#permission

Related N5 grammar

Suggest an improvement

Use this entry in code
import { getGrammarById } from 'kotowa';
getGrammarById('te-mo-ii');
{
  "id": "te-mo-ii",
  "pattern": "〜てもいい",
  "romaji": "te mo ii",
  "level": "N5",
  "meaning": "may; it's okay to",
  "formation": "Verb-te + もいい",
  "examples": [
    {
      "ja": "この辞書を使ってもいいですか。",
      "furigana": "この{辞書|じしょ}を{使|つか}ってもいいですか。",
      "en": "May I use this dictionary?"
    },
    {
      "ja": "今日は早く帰ってもいいです。",
      "furigana": "{今日|きょう}は{早|はや}く{帰|かえ}ってもいいです。",
      "en": "You may go home early today."
    },
    {
      "ja": "ここにすわってもいいですか。",
      "en": "Is it all right if I sit here?"
    }
  ],
  "tags": [
    "permission"
  ],
  "notes": "Add ですか to ask for permission. A polite refusal is often just すみません、ちょっと….",
  "zh": {
    "status": "reviewed",
    "source_hash": "75871b8f7e4a654445d15f239fba437432be34a2fd07d6733b23f3cbb3f578a0",
    "meanings": [
      "可以做……"
    ],
    "formation": "动词て形+もいい",
    "explanation": "表示允许做某事,或用问句请求许可。",
    "notes": "加ですか可询问是否允许。",
    "examples": [
      {
        "ja": "この辞書を使ってもいいですか。",
        "zh": "我可以使用这本词典吗?"
      },
      {
        "ja": "今日は早く帰ってもいいです。",
        "zh": "今天你可以早点回家。"
      },
      {
        "ja": "ここにすわってもいいですか。",
        "zh": "我可以坐在这里吗?"
      }
    ],
    "references": [
      "sources/grammar/n5.json#te-mo-ii",
      "Original Chinese authored and reviewed by Codex; no independent human review"
    ],
    "reviewer": "Codex",
    "review_method": "ai",
    "reviewed_at": "2026-10-28",
    "review_hash": "ec8ac5cba91a26da2d634fbf12483863752726bff11c754e431c66403a27a04a"
  }
}