Breakdown of koko de syasin wo totte mo ii desu ka.
Questions & Answers about koko de syasin wo totte mo ii desu ka.
Why is で used after ここ instead of に?
で marks the place where an action happens. Since 撮る means to take/photograph, this sentence is asking about doing an action at this place.
So:
- ここで = here / at this place for an action
- ここに would point more to location/existence/direction, not the place where the action is carried out
In this sentence, the speaker is asking whether it is okay to take a photo here, so で is the correct particle.
What does を do in 写真を撮って?
を marks the direct object of the verb. It shows what is being affected by the action.
Here:
- 写真 = photo / photograph
- 写真を撮る = literally to take a photo
So を tells you that 写真 is the thing being taken.
Why is the verb 撮って instead of 撮る?
撮って is the て-form of 撮る.
The sentence uses the pattern:
- Verb て-form + もいいですか
This pattern means May I ... ? or Is it okay if I ... ?
So:
- 撮る = to take a photo
- 撮ってもいいですか = May I take a photo?
The verb changes to て-form because that is the grammar needed before もいいですか.
What does 〜てもいいですか mean exactly?
〜てもいいですか is a very common pattern used to ask for permission.
Structure:
- verb in て-form + もいいですか
Meaning:
- May I ... ?
- Is it okay if I ... ?
- Would it be alright to ... ?
In this sentence:
- 撮ってもいいですか = May I take a photo?
This is polite and natural in many everyday situations.
What is the role of も here? Does it mean also?
In this pattern, も does not mean also in the usual sense.
In 〜てもいい, the て of the verb combines with も as part of a set grammar pattern:
- 〜てもいい = it is okay to ...
So in this sentence, you should learn 撮ってもいいですか as a chunk meaning May I take a photo?
It is better not to interpret も separately here as also.
Why is いい written in hiragana? Can it also be 良い?
Yes, it can be written as 良い, but in everyday Japanese it is very often written in hiragana as いい.
So both are possible:
- いいですか
- 良いですか
In beginner materials, いい in hiragana is especially common because it is easy to read and very standard in this expression.
Is ですか attached to the whole sentence or only to いい?
Grammatically, ですか comes after いい and makes the sentence polite and interrogative.
So:
- いい = good / okay
- いいです = it is okay
- いいですか = is it okay?
In the larger pattern:
- 撮ってもいいですか = Is it okay if I take a photo?
So ですか helps turn the permission expression into a polite question.
Why isn’t there a subject like I in the sentence?
Japanese often leaves out subjects when they are obvious from context.
In English, you would say:
- May I take a photo here?
In Japanese, the I is understood, so it does not need to be said.
If you added it, it might sound like:
- 私はここで写真を撮ってもいいですか。
But in normal conversation, this is usually unnecessary. Japanese prefers omission when the meaning is clear.
Why is 写真を撮る used? Doesn’t 撮る literally mean to capture or to take?
Yes. Japanese uses 写真を撮る as the standard expression for to take a photo.
Even though English says take a photo, Japanese also uses a verb that corresponds to take/capture:
- 写真を撮る = take a photo
- ビデオを撮る = shoot a video
So this is simply the normal collocation in Japanese. It is a phrase you should memorize as a unit.
How polite is this sentence?
ここで写真を撮ってもいいですか。 is polite and appropriate in many everyday situations.
It is suitable for:
- asking staff in a shop or museum
- asking someone at an event
- asking in public or semi-formal situations
A less polite version would be:
- ここで写真を撮ってもいい?
That sounds casual and is better with friends, family, or people you know well.
A more formal version could be:
- ここで写真を撮ってもよろしいですか。
That is more formal and respectful.
Would this sentence sound natural in places like museums or stores?
Yes, it sounds natural. It is a standard way to ask permission.
That said, in some situations native speakers may make it even more specific, for example:
- ここで写真を撮ってもいいですか。 = May I take a photo here?
- 店内で写真を撮ってもいいですか。 = May I take photos inside the store?
- この展示を撮ってもいいですか。 = May I photograph this exhibit?
Your original sentence is broad and useful, especially when asking about the place in general.
Are the spaces normal in Japanese?
No. Standard Japanese is normally written without spaces.
The natural written form is:
- ここで写真を撮ってもいいですか。
Spaces are often added in beginner materials to make the sentence easier to read and to show word boundaries. They are helpful for learners, but they are not normally used in regular Japanese writing.
Sign up free — start using our AI language tutor
Start learning JapaneseMaster Japanese — from koko de syasin wo totte mo ii desu ka to fluency
All course content and exercises are completely free — no paywalls, no trial periods, no signup needed.
- ✓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