For example in the sentence:

> 書くだけ **でいい** ですか.
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2013-07-22T07:27:10.333
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2023-07-25T01:55:21.213
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particle-で particle-でも
Is 「でいい」 the same as 「でもいい」?
The meanings are quite similar, but there's a subtle difference.

Both phrases involve settling for something, or one person making a choice on
behalf of another: `お昼ごはんはハンバーガーでいい？` "Would a hamburger do for lunch?" Or
something is sufficient: `そこにおくだけでいいです` "Please just put it there [and I'll do
the rest.]"

But `でもいい` has an added sense that there is something better or preferable out
there, but you are settling, or asking, for something less. This comes from
the use of `でも`, which has a negative conjunction.

That is, `お昼ごはんはハンバーガーでもいい?` has a nuance of, "I know you like something
else," or perhaps, "I don't know if you like a hamburger or not." Another
example would be: `名前を書くだけでもいいですか？` and this would mean something like, "[You
want to me to put down my address for this petition, but] would it be OK if I
just write my name?"
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2013-08-05T15:12:11.227
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2014-01-11T06:34:24.037
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I cannot comment yet, but I would just like to add a sidenote to the existing
answer by Kawaguchi-san

There is a site that I use for my studies now, and recently I found a very
helpful [article there on the difference between でいい and
がいい](https://www.learn-japanese-adventure.com/japanese-particle-de.html)

I just thought that this might be a good addition/expansion on the topic

P.S. Also, to understand the nuance, I personally find it helpful to translate
も in でもいい as ”even", e.g. これだけで **も** いいですか？ ＞ Is it OK **even** if I do just
this?

Though, if you draw a parallel with the 'usual' function of も in general and,
especially, も/は for amounts (e.g. 百人もいました > There were as many as a hundred
people), then a 'more universal' translation would be " **as much/as many as**
", so the example about would translate as "Is it OK if I do just as much as
this?"

Interesting, I have not thought about it before I started writing this
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2022-06-26T16:56:42.470
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answer