Ought rightly to: 〜てしかるべきだ
Verb in て + しかるべきだ ／ しかるべき + noun
V in て + しかるべきだ: “it would be only right that, ought by rights to”, often with implicit criticism. しかるべき + noun: appropriate, competent. Formal register.
In short
〜てしかるべきだ means “it would only be right that, one ought to”: you state what should be, often implying that it isn't (彼は謝ってしかるべきだ). しかるべき + noun means “appropriate, competent” (しかるべき処置). しかる is written 然る (“thus”): nothing to do with 叱る (“to scold”). Written, formal register.
- あれだけ迷惑をかけたのだから、彼は謝ってしかるべきだ。あれだけめいわくをかけたのだから、かれはあやまってしかるべきだ。After all the trouble he caused, he really ought to apologise.
- これほどの成果を上げたのだから、もっと評価されてしかるべきだ。これほどのせいかをあげたのだから、もっとひょうかされてしかるべきだ。With results like these, he deserves far more recognition.
- 会社はしかるべき処置をとるべきだ。かいしゃはしかるべきしょちをとるべきだ。The company should take the appropriate measures.
The basics
しかる (然る) is an old word for “thus, in this way”. So しかるべき is “what ought to be thus”, what is fitting. 〜てしかるべきだ asserts that something would be right, normal, deserved — English “by rights”, “ought rightly to”.
The sentence often has a critical edge: if you say he “ought by rights” to apologise, it's because he hasn't. You find it in editorials, reports and speeches.
He really ought to apologise to the victims.
- noun
- verb
- grammatical form
- 子育ての負担は、社会全体で分かち合われてしかるべきだ。こそだてのふたんは、しゃかいぜんたいでわかちあわれてしかるべきだ。The burden of raising children ought by rights to be shared by society as a whole.
How to form it
Add しかるべきだ to the て-form. With a passive (されて, 評価されて), you say what a person or thing deserves to receive. On its own, しかるべき qualifies a noun (“appropriate, competent”), and しかるべく is an adverb (“as is fitting”).
| Construction | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| V in て + しかるべきだ | 謝ってしかるべきだ | he ought to apologise |
| Passive in て + しかるべきだ | 評価されてしかるべきだ | he deserves recognition |
| しかるべき + noun | しかるべき処置, しかるべき人 | appropriate measure, competent person |
| しかるべく + verb | しかるべく対応する | deal with it as is fitting |
- この件は、しかるべき機関に相談したほうがいい。このけんは、しかるべききかんにそうだんしたほうがいい。For this matter, you'd do best to consult the relevant body.
- ご依頼の件は、しかるべく対応いたします。ごいらいのけんは、しかるべくたいおういたします。We will deal with your request accordingly.
てしかるべきだ, べきだ, て当然だ, はずだ
〜べきだ expresses a direct obligation (謝るべきだ: he must apologise). 〜てしかるべきだ is more measured and more formal: “it would be only right that”. 〜て当然だ is the everyday equivalent, more spontaneous. 〜はずだ doesn't express what's right, but what you logically expect (彼は来るはずだ: he should be coming, by rights).
| Sentence | Nuance |
|---|---|
| 謝るべきだ | he must apologise (obligation) |
| 謝ってしかるべきだ | it would be only right for him to apologise (formal) |
| 謝って当然だ | the least he can do is apologise (everyday) |
| 謝るはずだ | he'll surely apologise (expectation) |
- あんなひどいことを言ったんだから、怒られて当然だよ。あんなひどいことをいったんだから、おこられてとうぜんだよ。After saying something that awful, no wonder he got told off. (spoken)
- 先生に叱られて、弟は泣き出した。せんせいにしかられて、おとうとはなきだした。Scolded by the teacher, my little brother burst into tears. (叱る “to scold”, unrelated)
Common mistakes
- Confusing しかる (然る, “thus”) with 叱る (しかる, “to scold”): 〜てしかるべきだ has nothing to do with a telling-off.
- Attaching しかるべきだ to the dictionary form: it's the て-form, 謝ってしかるべきだ.
- Using it for a mere expectation: for “he should be here soon”, it's はずだ.
8 exercises on this point
Particles to choose, sentences to put back in order, translations: marked straight away, then reviewed at the right time. This JLPT N1 point is on the Tōhoku Line (The essay and the travel account) of the Shinkansen.