Giving advice: ways to say "you should"
たほうがいい is the everyday "you should", and the one to start with: it says one choice is better than the other. The other everyday forms put an idea as a question, say the answer is simple, or say there is no need. ことだ and ものだ are advice from a doctor, a teacher or a parent, not usually from a friend.
| Form | What it says | Who says it |
|---|---|---|
| たほうがいい, ないほうがいい | "You should", "you'd better not": the better choice | Anyone |
| たらどうですか, たら？ | "Why don't you…?": an idea, as a question | Anyone; たら？ among friends |
| ばいい, たらいい | "You can just…": the answer is simple | Anyone |
| といい | "It's a good idea to…" | Anyone; guidebooks and advice columns |
| ばいいのに | They could do it, and they don't: a reproach | Anyone; not to a teacher or a boss |
| どうしたらいいですか | "What should I do?" | Anyone, to anyone |
| ことはない | "There's no need to…" | Someone on your side: a friend, a parent |
| ことだ | "The thing to do is…" | A doctor, a coach, a teacher |
| ものだ, ものではない | "That's what people do", "that isn't done" | A parent, a teacher, someone older |
たほうがいい, ないほうがいい: this is the better choice
Full pageたほうがいい・
たほうがいい is advice to do something, ないほうがいい advice not to. Either way it says the other choice is the worse one. Between friends, よ on the end makes it sound like concern.
It will rain tomorrow, so you should take an umbrella.
It's late, so you'd better not walk alone.
You'd better not do that.
やめる is "stop", so this advises against something. You hear it all the time.
With friends, んじゃない？ or かも softens the advice.
You don't look well. Don't you think you should go home early today?
Maybe you should go to a hospital.
たらどうですか, たら？: an idea, put as a question
Full pageたらどう・
たらどうですか puts an idea forward as a question, "what if you did this?", and calls neither choice worse. With friends it shrinks to たらどう？ or just たら？. てみたら？, "why not try…?", is softer.
You seem a little tired. Why don't you take a break here?
Does it still hurt? Why don't you go to the doctor?
Why don't you try asking the station staff?
Why don't you at least help a little?
A complaint, not an idea: they plainly ought to be helping already.
ばいい, たらいい, といい: the answer to a problem
Full pageばいい・
ばいい says one thing is enough, "you can just…", and with よ it reassures: the answer is simple. With のに on the end it turns into a reproach.
If you don't know, you can just ask at reception.
Asking is all it takes.
If you don't know, why don't you just ask at reception?
They could ask, and they don't.
In conversation たらいい does the same job as ばいい. といい recommends something that tends to go well: "it's a good idea to".
If you're unsure, you could ask the teacher.
When you want to concentrate, it's a good idea to turn off notifications.
たほうがいい, たらどう or ばいい?
A colleague has too much work. All three fit.
If you have too much work, you should talk to your supervisor.
Talking is the better choice, and saying nothing the worse one.
If you have too much work, why don't you talk to your supervisor?
An idea. Neither choice is called worse.
If you have too much work, you can just talk to your supervisor.
The answer is simple, and this is it. To someone badly overworked, that can sound offhand.
Advice to a teacher or a boss
Said unasked to a teacher or a boss, たほうがいい, ばいい and たらどう, or even its polite form たらいかがですか, can sound like telling them what to do. People soften the advice.
You look unwell. I think you should go home early today.
と思います makes it your opinion.
It might be better to go to a hospital.
かもしれません, "it might be", is softer still.
Wouldn't it be better to go home early today?
んじゃないでしょうか is what people often say to someone above them.
どうしたらいいですか: asking for advice
Full pageどうしたら・
どうしたらいいですか and どうすればいいですか both ask "what should I do?", and ばいい answers them. To check an idea of your own, the question is たほうがいいですか. You can ask anyone.
I've lost my key. What should I do?
Would it be better to go to a larger hospital?
Where it goes wrong
The た of たほうがいい is not the past. "Should have" puts いい in the past.
We should go by taxi.
Nobody has gone anywhere yet.
たらどう is advice about what the other person does. It does not invite: "why don't we…?" is ませんか.
Why don't you two go together?
Advice to two other people.
Why don't we go together?
An invitation: you are going too.
ことはない: there's no need
Full pageことはないN3
ことはない tells someone there's no need to do something: worry, apologize, hurry. It reassures. In casual talk は often drops. The neutral "don't have to" is なくてもいい.
The mistake can be fixed, so there's no need to feel so down.
There's no need to let it bother you.
ことだ, ものだ: advice from a doctor, a teacher or a parent
ことだ is advice for one situation, ものだ a rule for everyone. To a friend both sound like a lecture, and neither is said to someone above you.
ことだ: the one thing to do
Full pageことだ・
ことだ picks out the one thing that matters most.
If you have a fever, you should go to bed early today.
From a friend.
If you have a fever, the thing to do is go to bed early today.
From a doctor, or a parent being firm.
If you want to feel well again, the thing is not to overdo it tonight.
Advice against something is ないことだ, not ことはない.
ものだ, ものではない: what people do
Full pageものだN3
ものだ states a rule of manners, "that is what people do", but only after a verb for something people choose to do. "That isn't done" is ものではない, in speech もんじゃない.
You're supposed to give up your seat to old people.
You don't play with your food.
Other things "should" can mean
べきだ・べきではないN3A strong opinion
A judgment of what is right: stronger than advice. Stronger again is なければならない, "must".
Experts should honestly admit what they don't know.
ばよかったN4Regret
"I should have", said with regret. ほうがよかった, also "should have", says the other choice was better.
Oh, rain. I should have brought an umbrella.
はずだN4What you expect
"Should" meaning "I expect so".
According to the schedule, the train should arrive at ten.
Pages in this comparison
- たほうがいい・
ないほうがいいshould; had better (not) · N5 - たらどう・
たらどうですかwhy don't you…?; how about…? · N4 - ばいい・
たらいい・ といいyou can just…; why not just…? · N3 - どうしたら・
どうすればいいですかwhat should I do?; where should I…? · N4 - ことはないno need to; you don't have to · N3
- ことだ・
ことthe thing to do is…; (a written rule) · N3 - ものだhow things are; should; used to · N3