JLPT N5 Grammar: 〜てもいいです
Asking & giving permission — “May I” / “You may”
JLPT N5 文法 〜てもいいです 解説 (許可・依頼)
⏱️ Study time: 5–7 minutes
〜てもいいです (te mo ii desu) is the standard way to say “it’s okay to do something” — to give or ask for permission. Add か to ask “May I?” and use the negative form てはいけません to say “must not”. Because it uses the te‑form, it works for every verb group in exactly the same way.
Quick Summary
〜てもいいです
Permission: “It’s okay to ~” / “You may ~”
〜てもいいですか (May I ~?)
〜てはいけません (Must not ~)
📝 Core Patterns
💡 Toggle furigana, hiragana, or romaji for easier reading.
What is 〜てもいいです?
〜てもいいです is a polite expression that gives permission. It literally means “even if (you) do ~, it’s good”. When you turn it into a question (〜てもいいですか), it becomes a polite way to ask “May I ~?”. The negative form 〜てはいけません expresses prohibition — “must not”.
- The も inside means “even if” — literally “even if I do X, is it good?”
- Always uses the te‑form of the verb, so the group rules matter.
- The answer to 〜てもいいですか is often はい、どうぞ (yes, go ahead) or いいえ、〜てはいけません (no, you must not).
ここに座ってもいいですか。ここにすわってもいいですか。Koko ni suwatte mo ii desu ka.
May I sit here?
⚡ How to Form 〜てもいいです
⚡ Asking Permission — 〜てもいいですか
This is the most common use. Simply add か to the end of the permission statement. The answer is often はい、どうぞ (yes, go ahead) or short いいですよ (it's fine).
May I open the window?
May I use a dictionary?
⚡ Giving Permission — 〜てもいいです
When you want to tell someone they may do something, use the plain statement. It can be softened with よ (casual) or ください (when combined with other patterns).
You may take photos. (soft permission)
⚡ Prohibition — 〜てはいけません
The negative “must not” form is 〜てはいけません. It is the opposite of 〜てもいいです. It does not use も — it replaces も with は (contrastive).
💡 Formula: Te‑form + は + いけません. The ては is often contracted to ちゃ in casual speech (e.g., 食べちゃいけない), but at N5 stick to the full form.
Common Mistakes (and Fixes)
JLPT N5 Practice Questions
1. How do you politely ask “May I open the window?”
2. “You must not take photos.” Which is correct?
3. “May I use a pen?” — choose the correct polite form.
Test yourself with a free mock exam →
About the Instructor
Taught by Anup Sensei at Gogaku Language & Training Center in Pokhara. With real Japan experience and a focus on exam essentials, he helps students pass the JLPT with confidence.
Related Grammar
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 〜てもいいです and 〜ていいです?
In casual speech the も is often dropped: 食べていい？ (Is it okay to eat?). The polite form always keeps the も (食べてもいいですか).
Can I use 〜てもいいです to offer something?
Not directly. To offer, you'd use 〜ましょうか (Shall I ~?) or 〜ませんか (Won't you ~?). 〜てもいいです is strictly about permission.
What's the negative of 〜てもいいです?
There is no direct “you may not” form using this pattern. To deny permission, use 〜てはいけません (must not).
Continue Learning
Next: てはいけません — prohibition with the te‑form.
Learn てはいけません →→ Explore the JLPT N5 Grammar Hub
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