てよかった
🃏 Flashcard
てよかった
te yokatta
Tap to reveal usage
I’m glad that..
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
te yokatta
Post ID
50785
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
I’m glad that..
📖 How to use it
Expresses relief or gratitude that something happened or was done.
Attaches to
Attach to the て-form of a verb. For adjectives, use the て-form (e.g., 暑くて). For nouns, use で (e.g., 学生で).
This pattern is the past tense of て+いい, meaning 'it was good that...' or 'I'm glad that...'. It shows that the speaker feels positive about a past event or action. It often uses the negative て-form to express relief that something didn't happen, e.g., 来なくてよかった (I'm glad [he] didn't come).
You can use it with your own actions (I'm glad I did) or others' actions (I'm glad you did). It's common in everyday conversation and casual writing. For formal speech, you might hear てよかったです, but the plain form is fine in casual settings.
早く起きてよかった。
Hayaku okite yokatta.
I'm glad I woke up early.
雨が降らなくてよかったね。
Ame ga furanakute yokatta ne.
I'm glad it didn't rain.
この本を読んでよかった。
Kono hon o yonde yokatta.
I'm glad I read this book.
Not ばよかった
てよかった is used for actual past events that turned out well. ばよかった is used for regrets about things that didn't happen, meaning 'I wish I had...' (e.g., 行けばよかった = I wish I had gone).
Register
Spoken and casual; in polite conversation, use てよかったです.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
てよかった
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat てよかった three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using てよかった. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern てよかった mean?
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I’m glad that..
What JLPT level is てよかった?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use てよかった in a sentence?
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Attach てよかった (te yokatta) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is てよかった formal or casual Japanese?
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てよかった is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember てよかった long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.