Cheatography
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べき "Should (happen as per society)
This is a draft cheat sheet. It is a work in progress and is not finished yet.
べき "Should (happen as society standard)
Formation |
Verb + べき + だ |
Verb + べき + Noun |
"Should/supposed to do" because that’s the common sense and that’s what the society expects from you so you feel like you HAVE to do it and it's the right thing to do (at least in your opinion) |
-It’s like giving strong advice “It would be better if…” same with V-たほうがいい。That is why it is often used in written and not in conversation as it may sound rude since it is used to give strong advice (it is expected in society). Better use V-たほうがいい。 |
❌❌ DONTs: べき can't be put at the end of the sentence. It should have だ、です、だった、じゃない or any nouns after it. よ can be added after だ to sound less masculine. |
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Fixed Phrases |
するべき / すべき : “Should do; Ought to do” (shortcut) |
Ex. すべきこと : Things you should do (Because that’s the right thing to do) |
やるべきこと : Things you should do (can be put in notepads) |
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Usages (in Japanese):
【当然】とうぜんのこと : The right thing; what’s to be expected
【常識的】じょうしきてきに考えて、したほうがいいこと : The things that you should do according to common sense
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べき vs V-たほうがいい "Should"
Verb + べき + だ/N “Should do; Ought to do” |
V-たほうがいい “You should; It’s better to” |
なきゃ "I/You have/must to..." |
ADVICE-SOCIETY STANDARD |
ADVICE-IMPOSING |
Sounds like an obligation (Like you don't want to do it but you have to do it) |
-Can ALSO be used when you do not talk to anyone, giving an advice but rather you are just saying that "This is what everyone should do" |
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❗️❗️Note: If だめ is added, it will sound like you're a little desperate to do something. なくちゃ is short for なくては。ては is another way of saying “If” but not used often. You can seeては with いけません which means、 not allowed to do something. |
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Other forms: |
日本の会社員はもっと休むべき。 Company employees in Japan should rest more. |
しゅうに3かいぐらいうんどしたほうがいいよ。 It's better to exercise 3 times a week. |
なければ + | ならない / なりません |
話し合うべきだよ。 You should talk to each other. |
約束を守ったほうがいいだよ。You should keep promises. |
なきゃ / ないと / なくちゃ / なくては + | だめだ / いけない / ならない いけない / なあかん |
【お年寄り】おとしよりに【席】せきを【譲る】ゆずるべきだ。 You should give up your seat to the elderly. (Sounds rude if given as an advise) |
毎日チョコレートをたべないほうがいいよ。 You shouldn't eat chocolate everyday. |
もう帰らなきゃだめだ。 I need to go home now (lit. already). |
約束を守るべきです。You should keep promises. |
暗い部屋でテレビを見ないほうがいい。 It's better not to watch TV in a dark room. |
休まなきゃだめだよ。 You need to rest. (Lit. It will be bad if you don't rest.) |
時間を守るべきです。One should be punctual. |
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❌【現金】げんきんで払うべき。(right thing to do)
⭕️【現金】げんきんで払ったほうがいいよ。(it’s better)
⭕️【現金】げんきんで払わなきゃ。(must)
⭕️【現金】げんきんで払うはず。(expect)
You should pay with cash.
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Ask/Give suggestion/recommendation
“It would be nice/good if;” To give general advice or recommendation or encouragement |
Giving and asking for SUGGESTION/RECOMMENDATION (SOFTER) |
V-といい |
V-たらいい |
V-えばいい |
ENCOURAGING. General recommendation/ advice |
CASUAL; SOFT. Slightly casual way of saying it. It can also be used as a question. It is very versatile. |
CAN BE CARELESS. Gives a careless impression. It can also be used as a question. Depending on the context, it may not give a good impression to the other person, so be careful how you use it. |
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❌❌ DONTs : Cannot give negative advice such as "You shouldn't do this" or "Don't do this" |
❗️❗️Caution: Using the standard 「しなかったら」 (don't do it) seems a little unnatural. |
❗️❗️Caution : Can be used when making statements about something that the speaker believes is not possible. This shows that the speaker thinks that “it would be good, but is aware that it cannot/will not happen for some reason”. In these cases, it is regularly paired with のに。 |
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As for the えばいい’s characteristics, just remember the grammar 「さえ〜ば」. It has a stronger connotation of "that's enough"! |
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❌今度デートするんだけど、どんな服着るといい? I'm going on a date next time, what kind of clothes should I wear? |
明日の飲み会、行きたくないのなら、行かなかったらいいと思うよ? If you don't want to go to the drinking party tomorrow, I think it's okay not to go. |
行ければいいけど、行けるかわからない。 It would be good if I could go, but I don't know if I can. |
自由がある間に、色んなことに【挑戦】ちょうせんするといいですよ。 It's good to try different things while you have freedom. |
いつ行ったらいい? When should I go? |
ペットボトルはここに【捨てる】すてればいい? Could I throw away this plastic bottle here? / Would it be good if I throw away this plastic bottle here? |
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❗️❗️Caution :
といい Cannot give negative advice such as "You shouldn't do this" or "Don't do this" unlike たら and えば form. But all grammars can be used to answer a question and give advice or recommendation.
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べきじゃない “You should not”
“You should not” do as per society's standard. |
❌❌Note: You are going to negate the べき part, NOT the verb of the sentence. |
Formation: |
べき |
+ ではない / じゃない |
べき |
+ ではありません / じゃありません |
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【嘘】うそをつくべきではありません。 You should not tell lies. |
盗む】ぬすむべきじゃない。 You should not steal. |
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べきだった "Should have; ought to have"
べきだった "Should have been; ought to have" |
V-えば良かった “I wish I did…” “It would have been good IF…” |
V-ない なければ良かった “I wish I didn’t…” “It would have been good if I didn’t” |
OBJECTIVE |
SUBJECTIVE |
NEGATION OF V-えば良かった |
-Something that the society wants/expects you to have done something. Used in business situation. |
-Feeling of regret/shame. Something you wish you did. |
-Feeling of regret/shame. Something you wish you did NOT do. |
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もっと気をつけるべきだった。 I should have been more careful. |
もっと勉強すればよかった。 I should have studied more. (Something you wish you did) |
言わなければよかった。I wish I didn't say that. |
もっと勉強す流べきだった。 I should have studied more. (Objective; society expects) |
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