べきだ details
write + should do
kaku beki da
should do; ought to do
meaning: should write
そう思うなら、本人に直接言うべきだよ。
sou omou nara, honnin ni chokusetsu iu beki da yo.
If you think so, you should say it to her directly. casual
約束は守るべきだ。
yakusoku wa mamoru beki da.
Promises should be kept. neutral
- contraction
- negative
- past
- polite
Examples
should do; ought to — obligation grounded in principle or duty
そう思うなら、本人に直接言うべきだよ。
sou omou nara, honnin ni chokusetsu iubekida yo.
If you think so, you should say it to her directly. casual
約束は守るべきだ。
yakusoku wa mamorubekida.
Promises should be kept. neutral
政府は調査の結果をすべて公開すべきです。
seifu wa chousa no kekka o subete koukai subeki desu.
The government should disclose all findings of the investigation. formal
Formation
{V}べきだattaches to dictionary form
Variant notes
- べき — だ drops sentence-finally — 本人[ほんにん]に言[い]うべき。
Notes
Related patterns
Similar
べきだ argues from principle and stays a disputable opinion; なければならない reports a requirement imposed by rules or circumstances — advice you may reject versus compulsion you may not.
たほうがいい is advice scaled to the listener's situation, spoken and hedgeable; べきだ appeals to principle and lands as a verdict — a doctor says 休んだほうがいいですよ, an editorial writes 休むべきだ.
Lookalikes
Both follow the dictionary form and gloss as English "should" — はずだ predicts what should happen given the facts (来るはずだ expects him), べきだ prescribes what ought to be done (来るべきだ summons him).