てもいい (temoii) Meaning Japanese Grammar - It's Fine Even If

The expression てもいい (temoii) means it's fine even if, it's ok even if, it's also okay.

てもいい is used when authorisation is given to perform an action or when we ask for permission to perform an action.

In this post we are going to learn more about the meaning of てもいい, how it is formed, and when てもいい is used through real example sentences.

How てもいい is formed

てもいい is used with nouns, adjectives and verbs.

It's formed by:

• て form of the verb
• particle も that means also
• いい adjective that means good, ok

Literally: even if you do this way, it's ok

Example with the Ichidan Verb 決(き)める decide:

In informal and colloquial context the particle も is often omitted.

Example with the Godan Verb 使(つか)う use:

With the noun we use the て form of the copula だ which becomes で.

In the case of い Adjective, it is used the adverbial form, obtained by removing the い and then replacing it with く.

As for the noun, it is used で: the て form of the copula だ + もいい.

てもいい to give permission

てもいい is commonly used when we give permission, authorisation to others to do something.

The verb have lunch is translated as お弁(べん)当(とう)を食(た)べる eat the bentō, the lunch-box

てもいい to ask for permission

This form is also used to ask for permission, the authorisation to perform an action.

• てもいい? you can use the same form in an interrogative tone or
• てもいいですか question obtained with the copula です and the interrogative particle か

Examples of てもいい