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Don't have to A
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好
13点
今日 の 授 業 は いつも より 短 い から 、 その プリント が 終 わ ら な く て も いい ！ 
Today's class is shorter than usual, so it's ok if you don't finish that worksheet.
好
12点
家 に は 誰 も いない から 、 服 を 着 な く て も いい でしょう ！ 
There's no one in the house, so it's alright if I don't wear any clothes!
好
3点
お 姉 さ ん は 頭 が いい ので 全 然 勉 強 し な く て も よい 。 
My older sister is really smart, so she doesn't have to study.
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13点
そんなに 緊 張 しなくて も いい です よ 。 
There's no need to be that tense.
好
6点
彼 は 今日 は 学 校 に いかなくて も いい 。 
He doesn't have to go to school today.
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6点
彼 は この こと を し 無 くても 良 い 。 
He does not have to do this.
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6点
私 は 日 本 語 を 勉 強 し 無 くても 良 い です 。 
I do not have to study Japanese.
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6点
私 は 自 分 が 言 っ た こと について 謝らなくてもよい 。 
I don't have to apologize for what I said.
好
7点
あなた は 速 く 走らなくてもよい 。 
You do not have to run fast.
好
6点
そんなに 急 が な く て も いい よ 。 間 に 合 う から 。 
You don't need to rush so much. We'll make it.

Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
AVerb: ない form -い くて
 
ANoun じゃなくて
 
Aな-adjective じゃなくて
 
Aい-adjective -い くなくて
 
 
もいい/よい
Basic Examples:
聞かなくてもいい (don't have to listen)

晴れじゃなくてもいい (it doesn't have to be clear)

静かじゃなくてもいい (don't have to be quiet)

安くなくてもいい (doesn't have to be cheap)

Related Expressions
てもかまわない
Where this grammar is found
Genki II (2nd Edition): Chapter 17
Nihongo So-Matome N4 (日本語総まとめ): 第２週　１日目
新完全マスター文法 N4: 第１部　６課
JLPT N4 / Intermediate: Verb Endings


User notes
好
5点

In colloquial speech, people quite often drop the も particle. For example, 飲まなくてもいいですか [Is it ok not to drink (it)?] will often be shortened to 飲まなくていいですか or 飲まなくていい？
13 years ago
avatar 宮本勝利 - Level 1

Discussion about this grammar
avatar
darkje
Years Studied: 2
Studying: 2級
Level: 1, 好 : 66
Can you not also use adjectives and nouns with this construction?

For example:

げんきじゃなくてもいい
あつくなくてもいい
ともだちじゃなくてもいい

Also the form here is listed with a title of なくてもよい, but the meaning is listed as なくてもいい, same as the てもいい　form. Should we not make the term the same over the whole grammar and make a note that よい is also possible?
好
2点
12 years ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 105, 好 : 6,478
There ya go!
好
1点
12 years ago
Lang_learner
Years Studied: 2 years
Studying: Grammar and vocabulary
Level: 1, 好 : 56
To be more polite, can you and です (and for casual, だ) to the end of もいい? All the user sentences just end with もいい by itself. Thanks in advance!
好
1点
9 years ago
karmakaze11
Level: 1, 好 : 15
Yep, you'll usually find this form with at least a だ at the end :)
好
1点
9 years ago
avatar
できるだけ
Years Studied: Never enough!
Studying: 漢字
Level: 28, 好 : 564
Actually, using だ after いい (or any other い-adjective) isn't technically correct (though a Google search will turn up some examples of Japanese people saying it, in the same way native speakers make mistakes in English.) です、でしょう、だろう are all fine, though.
好
3点
9 years ago
avatar
マドゥリ
Years Studied: Since 2010
Studying: JLPT N1
Level: 1, 好 : 208
お姉さんは頭がいいので全然勉強しなくてもよい成績を取る。 I don't think this model sentence (the third one) has the meaning of 'Dont have to'.
好
2点
9 years ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 105, 好 : 6,478
Corrected it to use this grammar expression.
好
3点
9 years ago
Jazim
Level: 1, 好 : 1
マイコー は 09月 24日, 2:12に
There ya go!
と言いました。

what is the difference 行かなくてもいい and 行くことはない

好
1点
1 year ago
avatar
マイコー
Site admin
 Level: 105, 好 : 6,478

@Jazim

Good question!　When used with verbs/actions, they are essentially the same. A couple of notes, though:

1. Based on the awesome book 日本語文型辞典, ことはない is often used to say something that encourages/cheers up the listener (ex. 心配することはない - you don't need to worry)

2. ことはない has a secondary meaning - "There are not times when A" - so "無料で行けることはない" would be something like "There are not/no times when you can go for free."

好
1点
1 year ago



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