should; ought to (strong advice)

べきだ gives strong advice about what is right to do. Attach it to a verb's dictionary form (する becomes すべき or するべき). The negative べきではない means shouldn't. It is a judgment about correctness, not a simple suggestion.

Examples

• 約束やくそくは守まもるべきだ。

  Yakusoku wa mamoru beki da.

  You should keep your promises.

• そんなことを言いうべきではない。

  Sonna koto o iu beki de wa nai.

  You shouldn't say things like that.

Vocabulary in these examples

• 約束 promise, appointment
• 守る to protect, to keep
• 言う to say

Related patterns · Nominalizers and explanation

• 〜わけだ that's why; no wonder; it follows that
• 〜はずだ should be; is supposed to be (expectation)
• 〜ということだ I hear that; it means that