502 Good Bad いい だめ

 

いい ＝ 良い ＝ good

だめ ＝ ダメ ＝ bad/socially unacceptable

Please don’t do it, because it makes it unpleasant for everyone else.

There is a word わるい, but it means bad/nasty

502 May I ? もいいですか？

This is an interesting pattern. One asks for permission, and permission is normally given. The answer is therefore はい or ええ.  

In English something interesting has happened: instead of asking for permission, we tend to ask if we are able to do something/if we have the ability to do something. We ask in spoken every-day language, “can I have a drink, please?”, although we mean “may I have a drink, please?” 

In Japanese this mistake is not made. Don’t ask anyone if they think that you have the ability or skill to go to the toilet – they will either burst out into laughter, or they will look for a nurse. May I go, please?

The pattern is： 

the ～て form of the verb plus もいいです. 

“… Not just now, boys…

Maybe we can all go later?!”