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I want to say "Is later okay?" Is there a specific difference between the two
terms? A friend of mine routinely uses the first term, I have been using the
second term. TY.
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2017-07-06T19:25:51.683
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question
words phrases
What is the difference between のちがいい and あとがいい？
If you're trying to say:

> Can we do it later?

or

> Can this wait until a later date?

You will want to say:

> 後でいいでしょうか？

This is a polite way to say it, and one of the more agreeable ways to say it
too.

* * *

NOTE:

のち uses the [same kanji](http://jisho.org/search/%E5%BE%8C%20%23kanji) as あと
(後). You will want to look up this grammar structure in understanding how it
is used.

For the time being, [this page](http://japanesetest4you.com/flashcard/learn-
jlpt-n4-grammar-%E3%81%82%E3%81%A8%E3%81%A7-ato-de/) should be more than
enough for studying use of あとで。 のち is not as common, and beginners should be
able to get through most conversations without knowing about it. (It's still
important to know and understand though!)

* * *

**EDIT:**

Withe the help of _A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar_ by Makino and
Tsutsui, I came up with the following. (paraphrased in my words)

The most common construction using the のち(に) grammar is as follows:

  * Verb(informal)-Past + のち(に)

> 東京｛とうきょう｝に引｛ひ｝っ越｛こ｝したのち、母｛はは｝がワンちゃんを買｛か｝ったそうだ。
>
> I heard that after I moved to Tokyo, my mother bought a puppy.
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I think you can say

> 後{あと}でもいいですか

which is similar to asking for permission using

> **Vて** も いいですか (Is it okay to **V**?)

where Vて is a verb in て-form
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2017-07-06T22:04:50.693
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answer
If you want to ask "Can I do it later (even though you want me to do it now)?"
by "Is later okay?", you need ～ **で** いい?

～ **が** いい and ～ **で** いい are critically different in Japanese.

  * [What is the difference between それでいい and それがいい here?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/17851/5010)

～がいい implies it's the ideal first choice, whereas ～でいい implies it's acceptable
but not an ideal one.

あと **が** いい? means "Do you rather want to me to do it later?" (i.e., "You
don't want me to do it now, right?")

You can use an _optional_ time marker で after あと. Don't confuse this で with
the で described above.

Therefore:

>   * あとがいい? = あとでがいい? = Do you (rather) want me to do it later?
>   * あとでいい? = あとででいい? = Can I do it later?
>

のち is not usually followed by で/が.
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