Structure
Verb[ば]+ いい
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Standard
使用域
一般
About ばいい
In contrast to ばよかった, which is used for expressing regret about something that someone wishes had been done, ばいい highlights that the speaker is hoping for a particular result, in relation to something that has not happened yet. This translates as 'It'd be good if (A)'.
To use ばいい, add the conjunction particle ば, to the end of any verb, and then attach the い-Adjective, いい.
To use ばいい, add the conjunction particle ば, to the end of any verb, and then attach the い-Adjective, いい.
- どれを食べればいいか迷ってるところ。About which would be good to eat, I am currently a bit lost.
- 行ければいいけど、行けるか分からない。It would be good if I could go, but I don't know if I can.
- テストでいい点を取りたかったら、勉強すればいいんじゃない?If you want a good grade on your test, shouldn't you just study?
- そんなに疲れているなら、仕事を休めばいい。If you are that tired, you should just take a day off.
Caution
ばいい may also be used when making statements about something that the speaker believes is not possible. In these cases, it is regularly paired with のに, and has the nuance of 'despite it being good if it were (A)'. This shows that the speaker thinks that (A) would be good, but is aware that (A) cannot/will not happen for some reason.- 明日早く起きればいいのに、全然寝れない。Even though I want to wake up early tomorrow, I can't sleep at all.
- 好きなら彼にそう言えばいいのに。Even though you should just say it if you like him… (Why don't you)
- 休めばいいのに、皆真面目だから休まない。They should take a break, but because they are all very diligent, they won't.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Examples
道の案内を、誰に聞けばいいのか分からない。
I don't know who would be good to ask directions from.
運動すればいいだろう。
It would probably be good if you exercised.
ドライブに行きたいなら、運転免許を取ればいいです。
If you want to go driving, it would be good to get a driver's license.
すぐに謝ればいいのに、結局謝らなかった。
It would have been good to apologize right away, but he/she didn't apologize after all.
欲しいなら言えばいいのに、誰も何も言ってくれない。
If they want it, then it would be good to say something, but no one is saying anything.
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「~ばいい」と「~たらいい」と「~といい」
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Difference between ”conditional” いい and 方がいい
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Tae Kim's Japanese Grammar Guide
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[AIAIJ] An Integrated Approach to Intermediate Japanese
Page 35
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ばいい – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (5 in total)
conan
Should there be a notation for よい? Came across that while reading Harry Potter. Threw me off for a bit, haha.
DarkConfidant
What’s the main difference between this and といい and -たらいい?
They seem very similar, but it won’t take them as the right answer for ones where it wants the other one.mrnoone
@DarkConfidant
HeyThey are generally interchangeable with small differences being that たらいい feels a bit more casual than といい (and ばいい)and といい cannot be used in questions, while both ばいい and たらいい can, so どうしたらいい and どうすればいい are OK while どうするといい? is not.
Another thing, when といい is used when giving recommendation/advice it might have a slight nuance of the action advised might generally be recommended thing to do.Other than that they should be interchangeable (in giving advice (though it adds mentioned nuance), also in all cases where one wishes or wonders with といいんだけど and so on), and if they are not accepted than its an error on our side and I’ll fix it (will check all of the sentences one by one).
I hope it helps,
Cheers
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