What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of kore (this), de (a particle indicating means or state), ii (good/okay) and desu ka (is it?).
Which one should you use?
While これでいいですか？ is a standard way to ask if something is acceptable, you can increase the politeness significantly by using これでよろしいでしょうか？ (Would this be acceptable?), which is better suited for business or customer service.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The level of formality depends on which form you choose. これでいいですか？ is a formal way to ask the question. For casual settings, you can use これでいい？ or the very casual いい？, which is common among close friends or family. If you are in a professional environment, such as business or customer service, use the highly polite これでよろしいでしょうか？
How does it change in a sentence?
Dropping the desu ka and using just ii? makes the phrase informal and suitable for friends or family.
How do you pronounce it?
kore de ii desu ka?
Did you know?
- In Japanese, いい can mean both 'good' and 'no thank you' depending on the context and intonation. While これでいいですか？ asks if something is acceptable, saying いいです in response to an offer can actually be a polite way to decline.
- The word いい is a phonetic simplification of the older word よい. While よい is still used in formal writing and certain grammar structures, the 'y' sound dropped over time in spoken Japanese to create the common いい.
- When using これでいいですか？ to check a result, a Japanese speaker might accompany the phrase with a slight tilt of the head or a questioning gaze to avoid sounding too demanding. This non-verbal cue softens the request for approval.
Examples in context
- この資料はこれでいいですか？Is this document okay?
- この席でお待ちいただけますか？Can you wait at this seat?
- 明日、遅くなるけどディナーに行ってもいい？Can we go out for dinner tomorrow, even if it gets late?
- これでいいですか？kore de ii desu ka?Is this okay?
- デザインはこれでいいですか？dezain wa kore de ii desu ka?Is this design okay?
- 支払いはこれでいいですか？shiharai wa kore de ii desu ka?Is this okay for the payment?
Example conversation
Kenta is showing Misaki a draft of a report.
- 健太 Kenta内容、これでいいですか？naiyou, kore de ii desu ka?Is the content okay?
- 美咲 Misakiはい、バッチリです！hai, bacchiri desu!Yes, it's perfect!
- 健太 Kentaよかった、安心しました。yokatta, anshin shimashita.I'm glad, I feel relieved.
- 美咲 Misaki健太さんの仕事は早いですね。Kenta-san no shigoto wa hayai desu ne.You work fast, Kenta.
