Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
“Why don’t you…?” or “How about…?”
🎯 Primary Function
To propose a course of action, seek agreement, or gently recommend a solution.
📋 Grammar Structure
動詞のた形 (V-ta form) + らどう (ですか)
いAdjective (Stem) + くなったらどう (Less common for direct suggestion; e.g., 寒くなったらどう)
なAdjective + だったらどう (Less common for direct suggestion; e.g., 元気になったらどう)
動詞のなかった形 + らどう (e.g., 行かなかったらどう)
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used with ですか (dō desu ka) in semi-formal or business casual settings, but should be avoided with superiors as it can sound condescending.
Informal Situations
Very common and natural, typically using the plain form どう (dō).
Written Language
Less common, usually limited to casual emails, blogs, or advice columns.
Spoken Language
Highly common; the tone of voice dictates whether it is a kind suggestion or mild reproach.
💡 Common Applications
Giving Mild Advice or Suggestions
The most common use is offering constructive advice to someone who is facing a problem or indecision, presented as a gentle question.
Example: もっと野菜を食べたらどうですか。(Motto yasai o tabetara dō desu ka.)
Informal Invitation/Suggestion to Action
Used among friends or family to suggest a shared activity. It is slightly softer than a direct invitation like V-ませんか.
Example: 一緒に映画を見に行ったらどう？ (Issho ni eiga o mi ni ittara dō?)
Implying Mild Criticism or Impatience
Depending on the tone and context (especially using the plain ‘どうだ’), this can imply the speaker thinks the listener *should* have done the action already or should stop procrastinating.
Example: そろそろ宿題を終わらせたらどうだ。(Sorosoro shukudai o owarasetara dō da.)
Frequency
Common in daily spoken Japanese.
Difficulty
N4 – N3
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
熱がありますよ。病院に行ったらどうですか。
Furigana: ねつがありますよ。びょういんにいったらどうですか。
Romaji: Netsu ga arimasu yo. Byōin ni ittara dō desu ka.
English: You have a fever. Why don’t you go to the hospital?
Example #2
携帯が壊れたなら、新しいのを買ったらどう？
Furigana: けいたいがこわれたなら、あたらしものをかったらどう？
Romaji: Keitai ga kowareta nara, atarashii no o kattara dō?
English: Your phone is broken. How about buying a new one?
Example #3
随分疲れているみたいですね。少し休んだらどうですか。
Furigana: ずいぶんつかれているみたいですね。すこしやすんだらどうですか。
Romaji: Zuibun tsukarete iru mitai desu ne. Sukoshi yasundara dō desu ka.
English: You seem really tired. Why don’t you take a break?
Example #4
分からなかったら、先生に聞いてみたらどうかな。
Furigana: わからなかったら、せんせいにきいてみたらどうかな。
Romaji: Wakaranakattara, sensei ni kiite mitara dō kana.
English: If you don’t understand, why don’t you try asking the teacher?
Example #5
試験に合格したいなら、毎日勉強したらどうですか。
Furigana: しけんにごうかくしたいなら、まいにちべんきょうしたらどうですか。
Romaji: Shiken ni gōkaku shitai nara, mainichi benkyō shitara dō desu ka.
English: If you want to pass the exam, how about studying every day?
Example #6
このコーヒーは熱すぎます。少し待ってみたらどうですか。
Furigana: このコーヒーはあつすぎます。すこしまってみたらどうですか。
Romaji: Kono kōhī wa atsusugimasu. Sukoshi matte mitara dō desu ka.
English: This coffee is too hot. If you waited a little, how would that be?
Example #7
健康のことが心配なら、もっと運動したらどうだ。
Furigana: けんこうのことがしんぱいなら、もっとうんどうしたらどうだ。
Romaji: Kenkō no koto ga shinpai nara, motto undō shitara dō da.
English: You’re worried about your health. Why don’t you try exercising more?
Example #8
何を食べるか決められないね。あの新しいラーメン屋に行ったらどう？
Furigana: なにをたべるかきめられないね。あのあたらしいラーメンやにいったらどう？
Romaji: Nani o taberu ka kimerarenai ne. Ano atarashii rāmen-ya ni ittara dō?
English: I can’t decide what to eat. Why don’t we try that new ramen shop?
Example #9
終電に間に合わなかったんだね。タクシーを呼んだらどうですか。
Furigana: しゅうでんにまにあったなかったんだね。タクシーをよんだらどうですか。
Romaji: Shūden ni maniawanakatta n da ne. Takushī o yondara dō desu ka.
English: You missed the last bus. How about calling a taxi?
Example #10
部屋が汚いよ。今すぐ掃除したらどうですか。
Furigana: へやがきたないよ。いますぐそうじしたらどうですか。
Romaji: Heya ga kitanai yo. Ima sugu sōji shitara dō desu ka.
English: The room is messy. Why don’t you clean it up right away?
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Softening with 「〜てみる」
Adding the verb みる (miru – to try) softens the suggestion further, turning it into “Why don’t you *try* asking…?” This is very common.
Example: 先生に聞いてみたらどう？ (Sensei ni kiite mitara dō?)
Responding to a situation or problem
This pattern is frequently used when responding to a problem or complaint. The ‘たら’ often implies a conditional “If you do X, then [a good thing might happen].”
Example: A: もうダメだ。 (Mō dame da. – I can’t do it anymore.) B: 少し休憩したらどうですか。(Sukoshi kyūkei shitara dō desu ka. – Why don’t you take a short break?)
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 行くどうですか (iku dō desu ka)
✅ V-た形 + らどうですか
The conditional form V-たら is necessary. Using the present form (V-る) with どう (e.g., 行くどう) is grammatically incorrect for this pattern.
❌ 私はどうしたらどうですか (Watashi wa dō shitara dō desu ka)
✅ Use V-たらいいですか if asking for advice, not V-たらどうですか.
V-たらどうですか means “Why don’t *you* do X?”. Students sometimes confuse it with asking for their *own* advice (What should I do?), which requires V-たらいいですか.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Medium. The ですか makes it polite, but the structure itself is an active suggestion, so tone and relationship with the listener are crucial. Use V-たら如何でしょうか (dō ikaga deshō ka) for greater politeness.
Social Situations: Best used when the speaker holds a slightly higher or equal status to the listener, or in peer-to-peer relationships. Avoid using it with clients or senior colleagues.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan. The use of ‘どうや’ or ‘どないや’ might be heard in some Western dialects instead of ‘どうだ/どう’ in casual speech.
🔍 Subtle Differences
〜たらどう vs. 〜ませんか
〜ませんか is a direct invitation or offer, asking for the listener’s immediate intention. 〜たらどう is a suggestion, asking the listener to consider an option.
When to use: Use 〜ませんか for shared immediate actions (Shall we go?). Use 〜たらどう for advice on a long-term action or problem-solving.
〜たらどう vs. 〜ればいい
〜ればいい (reba ii) implies “If you do X, it will be good/the solution,” making it stronger advice. 〜たらどう is an open-ended suggestion.
When to use: Use 〜ればいい when you are certain of the best solution. Use 〜たらどう when you are merely offering one possible option.
📝 Conjugation Notes
The core element is the conditional form (V-ta + ra). For the negative suggestion, the verb is first changed to its plain negative past form (V-nakatta) before adding らどう. (e.g., 見る → 見なかったらどう).
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Ensure the ‘tara’ part is pronounced clearly. When used to convey mild criticism (e.g., with male speakers using plain ‘どうだ’), the pitch may drop and the speed might be slightly faster. For polite suggestions (‘どうですか’), the intonation should rise slightly on ‘か’.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of it as: [Action] + If that happens, How (is it)? -> How about doing X? Remember the formula: Past tense (た) + ら (conditional) + どう (how).
Other Grammar
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