should do~; must do~ (べきだ) – Japanese Grammar べきだ (beki da)

Q: What JLPT level is べきだ?

JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast

Q: How do you use べきだ in a sentence?

Attach べきだ to the appropriate verb or noun form. Should do~; must do~

Q: Is べきだ formal or casual Japanese?

べきだ can be used in both casual conversation and polite speech depending on context.

べきだ

N3 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

beki da

should do~; must do~

ことになっている koto ni natteiru 結果 kekka も～ば～も mo~ba~mo 直す naosu てはいけないから te wa ikenai kara いくら～ても ikura~temo せいで sei de にしたがって ni shitagatte ないことはない nai koto wa nai おかげで okage de ついに tsui ni ばかりでなく bakari denaku べきではない beki dewa nai ところが tokoro ga たて tate だらけ darake まるで maru de 通す toosu そのために sono tame ni たとたん ta totan ことになっている koto ni natteiru 結果 kekka も～ば～も mo~ba~mo 直す naosu てはいけないから te wa ikenai kara いくら～ても ikura~temo せいで sei de にしたがって ni shitagatte ないことはない nai koto wa nai おかげで okage de ついに tsui ni ばかりでなく bakari denaku べきではない beki dewa nai ところが tokoro ga たて tate だらけ darake まるで maru de 通す toosu そのために sono tame ni たとたん ta totan

🃏 Flashcard

べきだ

beki da

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should do~; must do~

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📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N3

Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast

Reading beki da

Post ID 50823

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

should do~; must do~

📖 How to use it

Used to say that something should be done or is morally obligatory.

Attaches to Attach べきだ to the dictionary form of a verb. For する verbs, both するべきだ and すべきだ are used, but すべきだ is more common. For nouns and な-adjectives, use であるべきだ (or なべきだ is not standard). For い-adjectives, use い-adjective + べきだ (e.g., 新しいべきだ is rare; more natural is to use はずだ or べきだ with a verb).

べきだ expresses a strong recommendation or moral obligation, similar to 'should' or 'ought to'. It implies that there is a right thing to do based on rules, common sense, or personal conviction. For example, if you see someone dropping trash, you might say '拾うべきだ' (you should pick it up).

This pattern is more emphatic than たほうがいい, which is a softer suggestion. べきだ carries a sense of duty or correctness. It is common in both speech and writing, but in casual conversation, it can sound a bit strong. In formal writing, it is used to state opinions or recommendations.

Note: For negative obligation, use べきではない (should not). Also, when using with nouns like 'student', say '学生であるべきだ' (should be a student).

毎日、野菜を食べるべきだ。

Mainichi, yasai o taberu beki da.

You should eat vegetables every day.

電車の中では、電話をすべきではない。

Densha no naka de wa, denwa o subeki de wa nai.

You should not make phone calls on the train.

学生は、先生に挨拶をするべきだ。

Gakusei wa, sensei ni aisatsu o suru beki da.

Students should greet their teachers.

Not たほうがいいたほうがいい is a softer suggestion ('it would be better to'), while べきだ is stronger and implies moral obligation. Use たほうがいい for advice, べきだ for rules or strong beliefs.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

べきだ

📚 How to Master This Pattern

🔊

Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat べきだ three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

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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 べきだ. 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 N3 Patterns

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ばかりでなく

not only.. but also; as well as

べきではない

should not do~; must not do~

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern べきだ mean? ▼

Should do~; must do~

What JLPT level is べきだ? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N3 — Intermediate · Expressing nuance & contrast. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use べきだ in a sentence? ▼

Attach べきだ (beki da) 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 べきだ formal or casual Japanese? ▼

べきだ is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.

How can I remember べきだ long-term? ▼

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.