Introduction
In Japanese, たらどうですか (-taradoudesuka) is a useful phrase for giving advice or making recommendations. This phrase is often translated as “How about…” or “Why don’t you…” in English. This blog post will explain how to use たらどうですか correctly and when to use it.
What It Means
The phrase たらどうですか is formed by combining the conditional form of a verb (verb + たら) with どうですか, which means “how about” or “why don’t you.” たらどうですか is used to suggest that someone do something. It’s a way of offering advice or making a suggestion. In casual speech, you might hear it shortened to just たらどう or even たら.
When You Use It
Use たらどうですか when you want to give advice or suggest a course of action. However, be aware that it can sometimes sound critical, especially if the suggestion implies that the person should have already done the action. Therefore, it’s best to use this phrase only when someone asks for advice.
Examples
Here are some examples to help you understand how to use たらどうですか:
- 薬を飲んだらどうですか。
(Kusuri o nondara dou desu ka?)
How about taking some medicine? - もっと勉強したらどう。
(Motto benkyou shitara dou?)
Why don’t you study harder?
Note
Be careful not to use たらどうですか when inviting someone to do something with you. It can sound strange or even rude. Instead, use ませんか (masenka) for invitations. For example:
- Correct: うちに来ませんか。
(Uchi ni kimasen ka?)
Why don’t you come to my place? - Incorrect: うちに来たらどうですか。
(Uchi ni kitara dou desu ka?)
This sounds awkward and is not appropriate for invitations.
Conclusion
Mastering たらどうですか will help you give advice in Japanese. Just be careful when using it, as it can sometimes sound critical if the person hasn’t asked for your advice.
