たほうがいい
Meanings
- It'd be better to
- Should do
- Ought to do
About this pattern
Explanation
Use たほうがいい to give advice or suggest that it’s better to do something. It conveys personal recommendation or common sense, and is softer than a direct command. The action is framed as the better choice under the current circumstances. You can use it with a plain verb in the た form (V-た) to indicate what would be best to do. In polite conversations, add です/ます (e.g., 〜したほうがいいです). You can also form the negative by saying V-たほうがいいではない/〜ないほうがいい when advising not to do something. Examples below illustrate natural usage in everyday situations.
Learn in context
Example sentences
If you’re undecided, you’d better decide quickly.
It would be better to go to bed early today.
You should take this medicine every day.
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