日本語道場

Nihongo Dojo — N3 → N2

Grammar

N2

~てしかるべきだ

~te shikaru beki da

should rightly

When to use it

Use ~てしかるべきだ in formal written or speech-making register to assert that something ought to be the case as a matter of course — that reason, fairness, or common sense demands it. It is markedly stiffer than ~べきだ and carries an air of principled argument, so it suits editorials, position papers, internal proposals, and negotiation memos rather than casual conversation. Very often used with passive verbs (見直されて, 尊重されて) or with ある to say a certain measure or courtesy is only natural.

Formation

  • Verb: て-form + しかるべきだ — 検討してしかるべきだ、見直されてしかるべきだ
  • i-adjective: drop い → くて + しかるべきだ — 待遇はもっと厚くてしかるべきだ
  • na-adjective: stem + であって + しかるべきだ — 手続きは公平であってしかるべきだ
  • Noun: noun + であってしかるべきだ (identity), or 〜があってしかるべきだ (existence) — 説明があってしかるべきだ
  • Softer variants: 〜てしかるべきでしょう/〜てしかるべきではないか. Negatives are rare; use 〜べきではない instead.

Examples

  • This matter should rightly have been shared internally beforehand.

  • The apology to the client should properly be made in an executive's name.

  • Shouldn't the judgment of those on the ground be given more respect?

  • The contract terms should rightly be revised in line with results.

  • For an investment of this size, there ought to be an explanation to shareholders.