Learn How to Express Recommendation or Suggestion in Japanese

Another useful expression in Japanese is the -ta hou ga ii -た　ほう　が　いい which means “better to do…something”. It is use when you want to recommend or suggest to someone to do something. Verbs needs to be change into the -ta form first before adding the hou ga ii ほう　が　いい behind. Lets find out more

We previously learnt how to change to the -ta た form. So by now you should be familiar with it. Lets take a look at the conversation below

Mother：がっこう　は　なんじ　から　はじまる　の？ - What time does school starts?

Son：あさ　はちじ　から - From 8 o’ clock in the morning

Mother：はやく　ねた　ほう　が　いい よ - Its better to sleep early

Words to learn

なんじ、何時 - what time

はじまる、始まる - begin, start

あさ、朝 - morning

はち、八 - eight

じ、時 - o’ clock

はやい、早い - early

ねる、寝る - to sleep

はやくねる、早く寝る - to sleep early

First change the verb to the -ta form and then add the た　ほう　が　いい after it. Other examples like

たべる becomes たべた　ほう　が　いい - better to eat

のむ becomes のんだ　ほう　いい - better to drink

ねる becomes ねた　ほう　が　いい - better to sleep

いう becomes いった　ほう　が　いい - better to say

You may even use the naiない form together with ほう　が　いい as well.

たべる becomes たべない ほう　が　いい - better not to eat

のむ becomes のまない ほう　いい - better not to drink

ねる becomes ねない ほう　が　いい - better not to sleep

いう becomes いわない ほう　が　いい - better not to say

Simple isn’t it? Well, keep practicing and you will slowly get use to the Japanese langauge.