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Activities: How to give and request permission in Japanese?

By: Mayumi Ito

Exercise 1: Creating sentences

Let’s start practicing making the basic sentences using 〜てもいい and なくてもいい! For each basic form, complete two sentences:

  1. using 〜てもいい

  2. using なくてもいい

When there are two words given, use the appropriate one for each.

  1. 食べる transcribed taberumeaning to eat:

    1. おなかが空いているなら、そのおにぎりをよ。
      Onaka ga suite iru nara, sono onigiri o ... yo.
      If you are hungry, you can eat those rice balls.

    2. おなかがいっぱいなら、そのおにぎりは よ。
      Onaka ga ippai nara, sono onigiri wa ... yo.
      If you are full, you don’t have to eat those rice balls.

  2. 狭い transcribed semaimeaning small in size, 広い transcribed hiroimeaning spacious

    1. アパートは家賃が安ければ、です。
      Apāto wa yachin ga yasukereba, ... desu.
      As for the apartment, it’s alright if it’s small as long as the rent is low.

    2. アパートは家賃が安ければ、です。
      Apāto wa yachin ga yasukereba, ... desu.
      As for the apartment, it’s alright if it’s not spacious as long as the rent is low.

  3. 下手だ transcribed heta dameaning is/am/are poor at, 上手だ transcribed jōzu dameaning is/am/are good at

    1. 日本語がですから、参加してください。
      Nihongo ga ... desu kara, sanka shite kudasai.
      It’s OK if you are poor at Japanese, so please join us.

    2. 日本語がですから、参加してください。
      Nihongo ga ... desu kara, sanka shite kudasai.
      It’s OK if you are not good at Japanese, so please join us.

  4. 来週 transcribed raishūmeaning next week, 今週 transcribed konshūmeaning this week

    1. 今週忙しいなら、よ。
      Konshū isogashii nara, ... yo.
      If you are busy this week, it can be next week.

    2. 金曜日まで忙しいなら、 よ。
      Kinyōbi made isogashii nara, ... yo.
      If you are busy until Friday, it doesn’t have to be this week.

Exercise 2: Multiple choice

Complete each sentence by choosing the correct answer among the options.

  1. Base word: つけて transcribed tsukerumeaning to turn on

    暑ければ、エアコンを　      もかまいませんよ。
    Atsukereba, eakon o ... mo kamaimasen yo.
    If it’s hot, it’s alright to turn on the air conditioner.
    Select your answer

  2. Base word: 見せる transcribed miserumeaning to show

    パスポートは      もいいです。
    Pasupōto wa ... mo ii desu.
    You don’t have to show your passport.
    Select your answer

  3. Base word: 払う transcribed haraumeaning to pay

    朝食込みですから、お金を      必要はありません。
    Chōshoku komi desu kara, okane o ... hitsuyō wa arimasen.
    Since the breakfast is included (in the bill), there is no need to pay (the money).
    Select your answer

  4. Base word: ジーンズだ transcribed jiinzu dameaning to be wearing jeans

    カジュアルな店だから、　      もだいじょうぶだよ。
    Kajuaru na mise da kara, ... mo daijōbu da yo.
    Because it’s a casual restaurant, it’s alright to wear jeans.
    Select your answer

  5. Base word: あやまる transcribed ayamarumeaning to apologize

    悪いのはあっちなんだから、      ことはないよ。
    Warui no wa acchi nanda kara, ... koto wa nai yo.
    Because the fault is on them, there is no need for you to apologize.
    Select your answer

  6. Base word: 冷たい transcribed tsumetaimeaning cold

    ジュースください。      もいいですから。
    Jūsu kudasai. ... mo ii desu kara.
    The juice, please. It doesn’t have to be cold.
    Select your answer

  7. Base word: 説明する transcribed setsumei surumeaning to explain

    やさしい問題だから、　      までもないでしょう？
    Yasashii mondai da kara, ... made mo nai deshō?
    They are easy questions, so there is no need for me to explain them, right?
    Select your answer

  8. Base word: 遊びに行 transcribed asobi ni ikumeaning to go to play

    やさしい問題だから、　      までもないでしょう？
    Yasashii mondai da kara, ... made mo nai deshō?
    They are easy questions, so there is no need for me to explain them, right?
    Select your answer

  9. Base word: 完ぺきだ transcribed kanpeki dameaning to be perfect

    作文は      なくてもいいですから、明日までに出してください。
    Sakubun wa ... nakute mo ii desukara, ashsita made ni dashite kudasai.
    The composition doesn’t have to be perfect. So please turn it in by tomorrow.
    Select your answer

Exercise 3: How would you respond?

Read each scenario and choose the most appropriate response to the given question among the possible responses. You can use each answer only once.

Possible responses:
(you will need to fill in the 〜 part)
うん、〜てもいいよ。
Transcription: Un, … te mo ii yo
Translation: Yeah, I don’t mind …ing
いいえ、〜てはいけません。
Transcription: Iie, … te wa ikemasen
Translation: No, you may not…
ええ、どうぞ。
Transcription: Ē, dōzo
Translation: Sure, please go ahead.
すみません、〜はちょっと・・・。
Transcription: Sumimasen, … wa chotto …
Translation: I’m sorry, … is a little bit …
はい、かしこまりました。
Transcription: Hai, kashikomarimashita
Translation: Yes, certainly.
Very polite way to literally say, “I understood.”

  1. You are working as a lifeguard at the kiddy pool section of a resort hotel. One of the children asks if they can go to swim in the adult pool. It’s against the rules, so you tell them firmly.

    Useful vocabulary
    あっちの
    Transcription: atch noi
    Translation: that … over there
    プール
    Transcription: pūru
    Translation: pool
    泳ぐ
    Transcription: oyogu
    Translation: to swim

    • Child: あっちのプールで泳いでもいい？
      Atchi no pūru de oyoide mo ii desu ka.
      May I swim in that pool over there?

    • You: 。

  2. Today, you are working at the hotel lounge. At this place, customers can have free refills for coffee. One of the customers asks you if they can have a refill and you comply.

    Useful vocabulary
    コーヒー
    Transcription: kōhii
    Translation: coffee
    おかわり
    Transcription: okawari
    Translation: refill
    お願いする
    Transcription: onegai suru
    Translation: to ask for

    • Customer: あっちのプールで泳いでもいい？
      Kōhii no okawari, onegai shite mo ii desu ka.
      May I ask for a refill (of coffee)?

    • You: 。

  3. It’s your day off, and you are volunteering at a jogging event. When you are sitting at the registration desk, one of the participants asks you if they can borrow a ballpoint pen on the desk. You politely agree.

    Useful vocabulary
    その
    Transcription: sono
    Translation: coffee
    ボールペン
    Transcription: bārupen
    Translation: ballpoint pen
    借りる
    Transcription: kariru
    Translation: to borrow

    • Participant: そのボールペン、借りてもいいですか。
      Sono bārupen, karite mo ii desu ka.
      May I borrow that ballpoint pen?

    • You: 。

  4. You are still working at the jogging event. A photographer from a local newspaper asks you if they can take your picture. You don’t want your picture taken, so you politely decline.

    Useful vocabulary
    写真
    Transcription: shashin
    Translation: photo
    撮る
    Transcription: toru
    Translation: to take (pictures)

    • Photographer: 写真を撮ってもいいですか。
      Shashin o totte mo ii desu ka.
      May I take your picture?

    • You: ・・・

  5. After the jogging event is over, some of the fellow volunteers decide to go to a cafe together to have lunch. They ask you to join them, and you agree.

    Useful vocabulary
    いっしょに
    Transcription: issho ni
    Translation: with us
    お昼
    Transcription: ohiru
    Translation: lunch
    食べに行く
    Transcription: tabe ni iku
    Translation: to go to eat

    • Your friend: いっしょにお昼食べに行かない？
      Issho ni ohiru tabe ni ikanai?
      Why don’t you join us for lunch?
      (lit. Won’t you go to have lunch with us?)

    • You: 。