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HOW TO USE ほうがいい AND ないほうがいい
You want to learn how to give advice, suggestions, and warnings in Japanese?
In this article, we teach you two expressions to give advice in Japanese.
You can determine which expression to be used, depending on whether the advice is in the affirmative or the negative.
HOW TO USE ほうがいい
ほうがいいです literally means “It is better for you to do …”.
When you use this expression, you are giving specific advice.
ほうがいい is a sentence-final expression, and it should be attached to た form(past tense) of the verb.
PATTERN
Verb (た form) + ほうがいい
NOTE || たほうがいい can also be attached to the dictionary form of a verb, but it sounds more like a general opinion, rather than giving advice.
Review the た form conjugation in this lesson.
| 疲れているなら少し休んだほうがいいですよ。 | Tsukarete iru nara sukoshi yasunda hou ga ii desu yo. | You should be getting some rest if you feel tired. |
| 健康のために運動したほうがいいですよ。 | Kenkou no tameni undou shita hou ga ii desu yo. | It is good for you to do some exercises to remain healthy. |
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| 先生に聞いたほうがいいと思います。 | Sensei ni kiita hou ga ii to omoi masu. | I think you should ask the teacher. |
| 遅刻しているから走ったほうがいいですよ。 | Chikoku shite iru kara hashitta hou ga ii desu yo. | You better run because you are getting late. |
| 風邪をひいた時はたくさん寝たほうがいいですよ。 | Kaze wo hiita toki wa takusan neta hou ga ii desu yo. | It is good to sleep a lot when you catch a cold. |
| モテたいなら痩せたほうがいいよ。 | Motetai nara yaseta hou ga ii yo. | You should reduce your weight if you want to be popular. |
| 肉よりも野菜をもっと食べたほうがいいです。 | Niku yori mo yasai wo motto tabeta hou ga ii desu. | You should eat more vegetables than meat. |
| 日本語を上手に話したければ毎日練習したほうがいいですよ。 | Nihon go wo jouzu ni hanashitakereba mainichi renshuu shita hou ga ii desu yo. | It is better to practice every day if you want to speak Japanese fluently. |
| 今日は暑いから水をたくさん飲んだ方がいいです。 | Kyou wa atsui kara mizu wo takusan nonda hou ga ii desu. | You should drink a lot of water because it is hot today. |
HOW TO USE ないほうがいい
One more expression is ないほうがいい .
This expression can be used when the advice is in the negative.
When you use this expression, you are telling the person not to take a certain action.
The grammar rule is pretty simple – just attach ほうがいい to the present negative form of a verb.
PATTERN
Verb (present negative form) + ほうがいい
| 危険な場所には行かないほうがいい。 | Kiken na basho niwa ikanai hou ga ii. | It is better not to go to dangerous places. |
| お酒は飲み過ぎないほうがいいですよ。 | Osake wa nomisuginai hou ga ii desu yo. | You should not drink alcohol too much. |
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| 夜遅くに一人で歩かないほうがいい。 | Yoru osoku ni hitori de arukanai hou ga ii. | You should not walk alone late at night. |
| 夜遅くまで起きないほうがいいです。 | Yoru osoku made okinai hou ga ii desu. | You should not stay up until late at night. |
| ファストフードを食べ過ぎないほうがいいですよ。 | Fasuto fuudo wo tabesuginai hou ga ii desu yo. | It is better not to eat too much fast food. |
| あの人は暴力的だから怒らせないほうがいいですよ。 | Ano hito wa bouryokuteki dakara okorasenai hou ga ii desu yo. | Don’t make that person angry, because he is very violent. |
| 寝る前にはスマホを使わないほうがいいです。 | Neru mae niwa sumaho wo tsukawanai hou ga ii desu. | It is better not to use a smartphone before going to bed. |
| あんまり人のうわさ話はしすぎないほうがいいと思います。 | Anmari hito no uwasa banashi wa shisuginai hou ga ii to omoi masu. | I think you should not talk too much about other people’s gossip. |
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FAQs
What difference between ほうがいい and ないほうがいい?
ほうがいい is used to recommend doing something, meaning “it’s better to do.”
ないほうがいい is used to advise against doing something, meaning “it’s better not to do.”
Can ほうがいい be used in both formal and informal contexts?
Yes, but the level of politeness depends on how you conjugate the verb and the tone of your speech. For formal situations, use polite verb forms and endings like です or ます.
Is it possible to use past tense with ほうがいい?
Yes. Using the past tense, such as たほうがいい, implies a stronger suggestion or advice, as in “You should really do it.”
Can ないほうがいい be used to express warnings?
Yes, it is often used to warn someone or advise caution, such as “You’d better not do that” (それをしないほうがいい).
Are there alternative expressions to ほうがいい for giving advice?
Yes, you can use other phrases like べき (should) or 方が良いです (more formal), but ほうがいい is the most commonly used and versatile.
Can I learn Japanese in Japan with LTL?
Absolutely! We offer group and individual classes in Tokyo.
If you’d prefer to learn Japanese from the comfort of your home, you should have a look at our online lessons on Flexi Classes (we even have a 7 day free trial!)