JLPT N3 grammar
べきだ — Meaning & Examples
Should / ought to — a personal judgement about what is right. Dictionary form + べきだ (するべきだ／すべきだ for する). Negative: べきではない.
べきだ — What OUGHT to Happen
べきだ = should / ought to — but it is not the same "should" as なければならない (N4). なければならない states a hard requirement; べきだ states your judgement about what is right or proper.
Formation: dictionary form + べきだ
学生はもっと勉強するべきだ。
= Students should study more. (my opinion on what's right)
する is irregular — both forms are used:
するべきだ ／ すべきだ (すべきだ is slightly more formal/written)
Negative: べきではない = should not
子供の前でけんかするべきではない。
= You shouldn't fight in front of children.
Past regret uses べきだった / べきではなかった:
もっと早く謝るべきだった。
= I should have apologised sooner. (and I didn't — regret)
あんなことを言うべきではなかった。
= I shouldn't have said that.
べきだ vs なければならない:
宿題をしなければならない = I have to do homework (a requirement — deadline, rule)
もっと勉強するべきだ = I should study more (my judgement — no one is forcing me)
Both can appear in the same sentence with different force: 規則を守らなければならないし、他人のことも考えるべきだ. 🎯
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on べきだ. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. 「学生はもっと勉強するべきだ」 expresses?
- The speaker's judgement about what is right
- A hard rule everyone must follow
- A prediction about the future
- A memory of the past
Show answer
Answer: The speaker's judgement about what is right
べきだ states the speaker's own reasoned opinion about what ought to happen — not a hard requirement like なければならない.
2. 「もっと早く謝るべきだった」 means?
- I will apologise soon
- I never apologise
- I apologised too early
- I should have apologised sooner (and didn't)
Show answer
Answer: I should have apologised sooner (and didn't)
べきだった = should have — regret about a specific past action that did NOT happen.
3. The irregular べきだ form of する is?
- するべきだ only
- すべきだ only
- Both するべきだ and すべきだ are used (すべきだ is more formal)
- Neither — する cannot take べきだ
Show answer
Answer: Both するべきだ and すべきだ are used (すべきだ is more formal)
Both forms exist; すべきだ leans more formal/written, するべきだ is common in speech.
Practise べきだ in the free app
This point is part of the “⚖️ Should and General Truths — べきだ・ものだ” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N3 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N3 grammar points
From the same lesson: ⚖️ Should and General Truths — べきだ・ものだ
- べきだったShould have — regret about a specific past action.
- ものだA general truth or shared social norm — "that's just how it is." 人は誰でも間違えるものだ = people ma…
- ものではないA gentle "you shouldn't" — a soft, near-proverbial social norm, gentler than べきではない.
- ものだ (nostalgia)Past tense + よく + ものだ = fond reminiscence about the past.
Frequently asked questions
What does べきだ mean?
Should / ought to — a personal judgement about what is right. Dictionary form + べきだ (するべきだ／すべきだ for する). Negative: べきではない.
Is べきだ on the JLPT N3 test?
べきだ is taught in the JLPT N3 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “⚖️ Should and General Truths — べきだ・ものだ”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise べきだ?
Open the “⚖️ Should and General Truths — べきだ・ものだ” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N3 mock exams, with no ads.