～なくてもいい
Say you don’t have to
You’ll be able to reassure someone that an action isn’t necessary in this situation.
全部食べなくてもいいです。
zenbu tabenakute mo ii desu.
What do you think this sentence means?
You don’t have to eat it all.
Say that an action is not necessary
Use ～なくてもいい to say “you do not have to…” or that it is okay not to do something.
明日は来なくてもいいです。
ashita wa konakute mo ii desu.
You do not have to come tomorrow.
ない-form → なくてもいい
Take the ない-form, remove the final い, and add くてもいいです.
行かない → 行かなくてもいいです
ikanai → ikanakute mo ii desu
not go → do not have to go
食べない → 食べなくてもいいです
tabenai → tabenakute mo ii desu
not eat → do not have to eat
急がない → 急がなくてもいいです
isoganai → isoganakute mo ii desu
not hurry → do not have to hurry
～なくてはいけません vs ～なくてもいい
Both start from the ない-form. くてはいけません makes the action required; くてもいい makes it optional.
Do not have to
明日は来なくてもいいです。
ashita wa konakute mo ii desu.
You do not have to come tomorrow.
Not coming is perfectly fine.
Have to
明日は来なくてはいけません。
ashita wa konakute wa ikemasen.
You have to come tomorrow.
Not coming is not an option.
今日は学校へ行かなくてもいいです。
kyou wa gakkou e ikanakute mo ii desu.
You don't have to go to school today.
明日は早く起きなくてもいいです。
ashita wa hayaku okinakute mo ii desu.
You don't have to get up early tomorrow.
このページは読まなくてもいいです。
kono peeji wa yomanakute mo ii desu.
You don't have to read this page.
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