てもよい

‘てもよい’ is a Japanese grammatical structure that expresses permission. It indicates that an action is allowed to be taken. This construction is often used in both formal and informal contexts.

When using this grammar point, you will typically see it following the て-form of verbs. For example, if you want to tell someone that they may eat, you would use the て-form of the verb 食べる [たべる] (to eat) which becomes 食べて [たべて]. Thus, the full phrase would be 食べてもよい [たべてもよい].

In addition, you can use this structure with nouns. For example, you can say 本[ほん]でもよい, meaning 'You can use the book.' This makes it versatile in everyday conversation.

• This expression can carry a softer tone, making the permission sound friendlier.
• It can indicate that not only is permission granted, but that the action is also acceptable or appropriate in a given context.