N5 — outside your level filter

なくてもいい

なくてもいいnakute mo iiN5neutral

savor + don't have to do

ajiwawa nakute mo ii

don't have to do; it's okay not to do

meaning: don't have to savor

Related

  • 味あじわう
  • 〜なくてもいい
  • 味あじわわなくてもいい

明日あしたは味あじわわなくてもいいよ。

ashita wa ajiwawa nakute mo ii yo.

You don't have to savor tomorrow. casual

靴くつは脱ぬがなくてもいいですか。

kutsu wa nuganakute mo ii desu ka.

Is it okay if I keep my shoes on? neutral

Same meaning3

All examples3

don't have to do; it's fine not to — lifting an obligation

  1. 明日あしたは来こなくてもいいよ。

    ashita wa ko nakute mo ii yo.

    You don't have to come tomorrow. casual

  2. 靴くつは脱ぬがなくてもいいですか。

    kutsu wa nuganakute mo ii desu ka.

    Is it okay if I keep my shoes on? neutral

  3. 詳細しょうさいは今いま決きめなくてもかまいません。

    shousai wa ima kimenakute mo kamaimasen.

    You need not decide the details right now. formal

How it's formed1

All forms5

  • なくてもだいじょうぶnakutemodaijoubucolloquial

    味あじわわなくてもだいじょうぶ

    Usually written なくても大丈夫だいじょうぶ. Reassures rather than rules — "it'll be fine even if you don't."

  • なくてもかまわないnakutemokamawanaiformal

    味あじわわなくてもかまわない

    Usually written なくても構かまわない — "I don't mind if you don't." Cooler and more distant than なくてもいい.

  • pastなくてもよかったnakutemoyokatta

    味あじわわなくてもよかった

  • politeなくてもいいですnakutemoiidesu

    味あじわわなくてもいいです

  • polite questionなくてもいいですかnakutemoiidesuka

    味あじわわなくてもいいですか

Notes

The natural reply to 行いかなければなりませんか is いいえ、行いかなくてもいいです. It's never a
plain negation of なりません.