たほうがいい・
Advice. Of the two things someone could do, this one is the better: たほうがいい for doing it, ないほうがいい for not doing it.
do
It will rain tomorrow, so you should take an umbrella.
don't
It's late, so you'd better not walk alone.
asking
Is it better to take this medicine after a meal?
Do
Verb た-form + ほうがいい
行った → 行ったほうがいい. The た is not past: this is advice about now or later.
Don't
Verb ない-form + ほうがいい
行かない → 行かないほうがいい. The negative stays ない, not なかった.
Polite
… ほうがいいです
Often written 方がいい.
Telling someone what would be better
It turns up wherever something could go wrong: health, weather, travel, manners. A reason usually comes with it, and between friends よ on the end makes it sound like concern.
If you have a fever, you should go to bed early today.
It is cold, so you should close the window.
You'd better not go by car tonight. It looks like it's going to snow.
If your stomach hurts, you'd better not eat spicy food.
One you will hear all the time is やめたほうがいい. やめる is "stop" or "give up on", so this is advice against something.
You'd better not do that.
Should have: ほうがよかった
Looking back, the verb stays as it is and いい becomes よかった.
We should go by taxi.
Nobody has gone anywhere yet.
How strong it sounds
It is stronger than English "it would be better", because it says the other choice is the worse one. From a friend that is care. Said unasked to a teacher or a boss, it can sound like telling them what to do, so people soften it.
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 turns it into a question, and is what people often say to someone above them.
With friends, people soften it with んじゃない？ or かも.
You don't look well. Don't you think you should go home early today?
んじゃない？, "don't you think?", turns the advice into a question.
Maybe you should go to a hospital.
かも is かもしれない cut short.
Asking for advice with ほうがいいですか is fine with anyone.
Would it be better to go to a larger hospital?
Should I take an umbrella?
Close neighbours
のほうがN5
After a noun, the same ほう picks one of two things: "X would be better", "I'd rather have X".
I'd rather have coffee.
なければならないN5
No choice. With たほうがいい the other person can still choose.
Since it is raining, I have to take an umbrella.
たらどうですかN4
"Why don't you…?" It puts an idea forward without calling the other choice worse.
If you have too much work, why don't you talk to your supervisor?
Check yourself
1What does this mean?
もう
Choose an answer to see why.
2"You'd better not drink coffee at night."
夜は
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
行くほうがいい
The dictionary form turns up too, mostly to weigh two ways of doing things in general. For advice to one person about one situation, た is the usual choice.
Films are better seen in a theater.
In writing
いい is often よい on the page: 早めに予約した方がよい, "it is better to book early".
More sentences
You should check the map before leaving.
It is better to read this passage aloud.
If your cough is continuing, you'd better not smoke.
If you're not feeling well, you'd better not push yourself today.
With someone you have just met, I think it's better not to ask their age right away.
The rain is getting heavier. Would it be better not to go out today?