Page 419 - Basic Japanese

nomanakereba narimasen ka if you’re just wondering, or, if

you’re hoping for permission not to take it, you can ask
Kusuri o nomanakute mo ii desu ka ‘Is it all right even if I don’t

take the medicine? May I go without the medicine?’

“Kyō kawanakute wa narimasen ka.”
“Do I have to buy it today?”

“Īe, kyō kawanakute mo ii desu yo.”
“No, you don’t have to buy it today.”

“Kyō kawanakute mo ii desu ka.”
“Is it okay not to buy it today?”

“Hai, kyō kawanakute mo ii desu yo.”
“Yes, it is fine even if you don’t buy it today.”

8.9. Obligation, prohibition, permission:
summary

Here is a summary of the forms discussed in the preceding
sections.

Obligation ‘must, has to’ Denial of Obligation ‘need
not, doesn’t have to’

-(a)nakereba narimasen -(a)nakute mo ii desu
-(a)nakereba ikemasen (‘even not doing is okay’)

-(a)nakereba dame desu
(‘if does not do, is no good’)