Log inSign up

kono zisyo wo karite mo ii desu ka?

この　辞書じしょ　を　借かりて　も　いい　です　か？kono zisyo wo karite mo ii desu ka?
May I borrow this dictionary?
FromLesson 15inHardcore Japanese
……

Questions & Answers about kono zisyo wo karite mo ii desu ka?

Why is この used instead of その or あの?

この is a demonstrative adjective meaning “this,” used for something close to the speaker.

  • その (“that”) refers to something closer to the listener.
  • あの (“that over there”) indicates something distant from both speaker and listener.
What role does the particle を play after 辞書?
The particle を marks 辞書 as the direct object of the verb 借りる (“to borrow”). It tells you what is being borrowed.
Why is 借りる used here instead of 貸す?
  • 借りる means “to borrow” (the speaker receives).
  • 貸す means “to lend” (the speaker gives).
    Since you’re asking permission to take the dictionary, you use 借りる.
How do you form the て-form of 借りる to get 借りて?

借りる is a る-verb. To make its て-form:

  1. Drop る → 借り
  2. Add て → 借りて

That て-form is used to connect to もいいですか in the permission structure.

What does the structure Vて + もいいですか mean?

Vて + もいいですか literally means “Is it okay if I ~?” or “May I ~?” It’s the standard way to ask for permission:

  • 借りて (te-form of borrow) + もいいですか？ → “May I borrow…?”
Why are て and も often written together as ても?
Grammatically, ても is one unit: V-て + も combines to mean “even if ~” or in permission “if I do ~, is it okay?” In textbooks you might see 借りて も spaced out for clarity, but native writers usually merge them to 借りても.
What is the purpose of か at the end of the sentence?
The particle か turns the phrase into a question. Without か, 借りてもいいです would be a statement (“It is okay to borrow”), not a request.
How would you make this sentence more informal or plain?

In casual speech you can drop です and か:

  • この辞書を借りてもいい？
    Or use the plain polite form without です at all:
  • この辞書、借りていい？
Is there an alternative expression using かまいませんか instead of もいいですか?

Yes. かまいませんか also asks permission, with a slightly more formal or polite tone:

  • この辞書を借りてもかまいませんか？
    It means essentially the same thing as 借りてもいいですか, but かまいませんか can feel more deferential.

More from this lesson

houhouteiansuruii houhou wo mituketara, tomodati ni teiansimasu.taiikukanundoukaitaiikukan de undoukai no zyunbi wo simasu.taiikukanmisosiru
AI Language TutorTry it ↗
“How do verb conjugations work in Japanese?”
Japanese verbs conjugate based on tense, politeness, and mood. For example, the polite present form adds ‑ます to the verb stem, while the past tense uses ‑ました. Unlike English, Japanese verbs don't change based on the subject — the same form works for "I", "you", and "they".

Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor

Start learning Japanese

Master Japanese — from kono zisyo wo karite mo ii desu ka to fluency

All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods.

  • ✓ Infinitely deep — unlimited vocabulary and grammar
  • ✓ Fast-paced — build complex sentences from the start
  • ✓ Unforgettable — efficient spaced repetition system
  • ✓ AI tutor to answer your grammar questions
Start learning Japanese freeBrowse the full course