761 - ~ばいいですか (should...?)

JLPT N4: ~ばいいですか (should...?)

This lesson should mostly feel like review for you.

We saw that ~たらいい means something like "should" in this lesson: [NDL #749] - JLPT N4: ~たらいい (should).

Then we saw that ~たらいいですか is used when asking "should (I do something)?" in this lesson: [NDL #757] - JLPT N4: ~たらいいですか (should...?).

Since we've seen that ~ばいい also means something like "should": [NDL #756] - JLPT N4: ~ばいい (should)...

...it's understandable that ~ばいいですか, then, also is used when asking "should (I do something)?" which is the topic of this lesson you're reading right now.

Did I confuse you?

All I'm saying is: ~たらいいですか and ~ばいいですか mean pretty much the same thing.


The construction we have for ~ばいいですか is basically the same, too:

Question Word...V たらいいですか
Question Word...V いいですか

Let's see if you can make your way through four dialogues using ~ばいいですか.

がんばって...



A:
靴はどこ脱げいいですか
くつ は どこ で ぬげばいいですか。
Where should I take off my shoes?
Literally: “shoes + は + where + で + should (I) take off (=if [I] take off + good) + です + か.”


B:
あのマットの上で脱いでください。
あの マット の うえ で ぬいで ください。
Please take them off on that mat.
Literally: “that + mat + の + above + で + take off (and) + please.”



A:
チェックアウトは何時までにすれいいですか
チェックアウト は なんじ まで に すればいいですか。
What time should I [we] check out by?
Literally: “checkout + は + what time + until + に + should (we) do (=if [we] do + good) + です + か.”


B:
12時までにしてください。
じゅうにじ まで に して ください。
Please check out by 12 o’clock.
Literally: “12 o’clock + until + に + do (and) + please.”



A:
ソファを捨てたいんですが、どうすれいいですか
ソファ を すてたい んです が、 どう すればいいですか。
I’d like to throw away a couch. What should I do?
Literally: “sofa + を + want to throw away + んです + が, + what should (I) do (=how + if [I] do + good) + です + か.”


B:
電話かインターネットで収集の申し込みをしてください。
でんわ か インターネット で しゅうしゅう の もうしこみ を して ください。
Please submit a request for it to be collected over the phone or on the Internet.
Literally: “phone + か + Internet + で + collection + の + application / request + を + do (and) + please.”



A:
別れたいんだけど、なんて言えいい
わかれたい んだ けど、 なん て いえばいい?
I want to break up with her [him]. What should I say?
Literally: “want to break up + んだ + けど, + what (to say) + should (I) say (=if [I] say + good)?”


B:
さあ。自分で考えれば?
さあ。 じぶん で かんがえれば?
I don’t know. Why don’t you figure it out yourself?
Literally: “who knows. + oneself + で + why don’t (you) think about it (=if [you] think)?”


You made it!

Some grammatical formations you just need to be able to understand.

Others you should be able to use, also.

This is one of the latter, so spending a bit of extra time with these sentences would be worthwhile.




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