Japanese grammar
What does ～てよかった mean? Japanese grammar N4
～てよかった means I'm glad I did ~; it's a good thing that ~.
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N4 |
|---|---|
| Structure | Vて + よかった Vなくて + よかった |
| Romaji | teyokatta |
| Meaning | I'm glad I did ~; it's a good thing that ~ |
Forming it
| Connection | Vて + よかった / Vなくて + よかった |
|---|
How to use it
Expressing relief or satisfaction about something that actually happened.
- Unlike ～ばよかった, which is regret over something that didn't happen, ～てよかった positively evaluates something that did happen.
- The negative form uses ～なくてよかった to say it's fortunate that something wasn't done.
Examples
あなたに会えてよかったです。
I am glad I was able to meet you.
電車に遅れなくてよかった。
I am glad I did not miss the train.
Common mistakes
-
Wrongあなたに会ったよかったです。
Correctあなたに会えてよかったです。
Before よかった you need to connect with て/なくて, not place the plain た form directly.
Exam tips
- てよかった = an event that has happened; ばよかった = something that ought to have happened.