〜てしかるべきだ (~te shikarubeki da) — ought to ~ / it is only proper that ~

The editorial's firm but polite complaint: 'this is only right and proper — yet it isn't happening.'

Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)

Verb Vて + しかるべきだ

N／な-adj N／な-adj + であって + しかるべきだ

Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)

When to use it

When a company's big mistake comes out, a newspaper editorial or a TV news commentary says something like 「経営陣は自ら説明してしかるべきだ」— 'it is only proper that the management explain it themselves.'

Meaning

The feeling of 「しかるべき」is 'natural, right and proper for it to be so.'
Inside 「〜てしかるべきだ」a complaint is hidden: 'this ought to happen, but so far it hasn't.'
That is why it mostly appears when criticising the government, a company or society, and often with 'be done' forms like 「評価されて」「見直されて」— 'it deserves far more recognition.'

How to attach

Attach 「しかるべきだ」to the verb's て-form — not to the dictionary form as with 「べきだ」; after a noun or な-adjective, make it 「であって」(慎重であってしかるべきだ).
Its sister form 「しかるべき N」(しかるべき機関・しかるべき対応) means 'the appropriate ~' and is everywhere in notices from the city office, companies and on visa matters: 「しかるべき窓口にご相談ください」.

Versus what you know

N3「〜べきだ」also means 'should', but it is general advice or duty (もっと野菜を食べるべきだ).

Watch out

The key rule: this is a judgement about other people's conduct or the state of society — it is not used for your own small daily plans (「明日は六時に起きてしかるべきだ」), and it is not said in chat with friends.

Examples (उदाहरणहरू)

国は、被害を受けた住民に十分な補償をしてしかるべきだ。

くには、ひがいをうけたじゅうみんにじゅうぶんなほしょうをしてしかるべきだ。

It is only proper that the state give full compensation to the residents who suffered damage.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 国は = the state → 被害を受けた住民に十分な補償をする = to give full compensation to residents who suffered damage → て-form: 補償をして → we attach 「しかるべきだ」 = giving it is only right (with the complaint that it hasn't happened yet).

外国人介護士の努力は、もっと評価されてしかるべきだ。

がいこくじんかいごしのどりょくは、もっとひょうかされてしかるべきだ。

The hard work of foreign care workers deserves far more recognition.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 外国人介護士の努力 = foreign care workers' hard work → 評価される = to be valued → て-form: 評価されて → 「しかるべきだ」= being valued is only right → 「もっと」 shows the complaint "it's not enough now".

値上げをするなら、会社は利用者に丁寧に説明してしかるべきだ。

ねあげをするなら、かいしゃはりようしゃにていねいにせつめいしてしかるべきだ。

If they are raising prices, the company ought to explain it properly to its customers.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 値上げをするなら = if they are raising prices → 会社は = the company → 利用者に丁寧に説明する = to explain properly to users → て-form: 説明して → 「しかるべきだ」= doing so is only right.

Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)

Question: 1/3

「これだけの問題が起きたのだから、大臣は責任を＿＿しかるべきだ。」— fill the blank.

💡 Hint: Not like 「べきだ」— which verb form?