Meaning & Usage
โจ Basic Meaning
“What should I do?” or “What course of action would be best?”
๐ฏ Primary Function
To solicit advice, suggestions, or recommendations on a course of action from the listener.
๐ Grammar Structure
Verb (ใ-form) + ใใใใงใใ
I-adjective (stem) + ใใฃใใใใใงใใ
Na-adjective/Noun + ใ ใฃใใใใใงใใ
Verb (ใชใ-form) + ใชใใฃใใใใใงใใ
๐ญ Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used with ใงใใ, it is polite and suitable for most formal business or public settings when seeking guidance from a superior or service provider. (For higher formality, ใใใใใงใใใใ is used.)
Informal Situations
Often shortened to ใใใใใ๏ผ or ใใใใฉใ๏ผ, or simply just the verb + ใ, making it very common and casual among friends and family.
Written Language
Common in professional emails or text messages when asking a colleague or manager for guidance or instructions.
Spoken Language
Extremely common. It is a fundamental phrase for navigating daily life and showing deference to the listener’s knowledge.
๐ก Common Applications
Seeking Recommendations
Used to ask for suggestions regarding places to go, things to buy, or food to eat. It is a polite way to seek recommendations.
Example: ใใฎ้ฑๆซใใฉใใธ่กใฃใใใใใงใใใ(Kono shลซmatsu, doko e ittara ii desu ka.)
Asking for Procedural Guidance
Used when needing to know the correct process, timing, or method for completing a task. It asks for instructions.
Example: ใใฎใใฉใผใ ใฏใใใคใพใงใซๆๅบใใใใใใงใใใ(Kono fลmu wa, itsumade ni teishutsu shitara ii desu ka.)
Soliciting Solutions to a Problem
Often combined with the interrogative word ใฉใ (dล) to ask for a solution when facing a difficulty or problem.
Example: ้ปๆบใๅ
ฅใใชใใฎใงใใใใฉใใใใใใใงใใใ(Dengen ga hairanai no desu ga, dล shitara ii desu ka.)
Frequency
High
Difficulty
JLPT N4
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
ๆฐใใPCใ่ฒทใใใใฎใงใใใใฉใใ่ฒทใฃใใใใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใใฒใใผใใผใใใใใใฎใงใใใใจใใใใใฃใใใใใงใใใ
Romaji: Atarashii pasokon o kaitai no desu ga, dore o kattara ii desu ka.
English: I want to buy a new laptop, which one should I buy?
Example #2
ๆฅๆฌ่ชใไธ้ใใชใใฎใงใใฉใๅๅผทใใใใใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใซใปใใใใใใใใคใใชใใฎใงใใฉใในใใใใใใใใใใงใใใ
Romaji: Nihongo ga jลtatsu shinai node, dล benkyล shitara ii desu ka.
English: My Japanese isn’t improving. How should I study?
Example #3
ใใฎ่ท็ฉใฏใฉใใซ็ฝฎใใใใใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใซใใคใฏใฉใใซใใใใใใใงใใใ
Romaji: Kono nimotsu wa doko ni oitara ii desu ka.
English: Where should I put this luggage?
Example #4
ๅฝผๅฅณใซไฝใใใฌใผใณใใใใๅใใงใใใพใใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใใใซใชใซใใใฌใผใณใใใใใใใใใงใใใพใใใ
Romaji: Kanojo ni nani o purezento shitara yorokonde kuremasu ka.
English: What should I give her as a present so she’d be happy?
Example #5
ๆๆฅใฎไผ่ญฐใซใฏไฝๆใซๆฅใใใใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใใฎใใใใซใฏใชใใใซใใใใใใงใใใ
Romaji: Asu no kaigi ni wa nanji ni kitara ii desu ka.
English: What time should I arrive for tomorrow’s meeting?
Example #6
ไฝใใ ใใใฎใงใใใไฝใ้ฃฒใใ ใใใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใใ ใใ ใใใฎใงใใใใชใซใใฎใใ ใใใใงใใใ
Romaji: Karada ga darui no desu ga, nani o nondara ii desu ka.
English: I feel sluggish/tired. What should I drink?
Example #7
ใใฃใจๅฅๅบทใซใชใใซใฏใใฉใใใใใใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใฃใจใใใใใซใชใใซใฏใใฉใใใใใใใงใใใ
Romaji: Motto kenkล ni naru ni wa, dล shitara ii desu ka.
English: What should I do to become healthier?
Example #8
ใใฎๆผขๅญใ่ชญใใพใใใ่ชฐใซ่ใใใใใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใฎใใใใใใใพใใใใ ใใซใใใใใใใงใใใ
Romaji: Kono kanji ga yomemasen. Dare ni kiitara ii desu ka.
English: I can’t read this kanji. Who should I ask?
Example #9
ไบฌ้ฝใธ่กใใชใใใใค้ ่กใฃใใใใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใจใธใใใชใใใใคใใใใฃใใใใใงใใใ
Romaji: Kyลto e iku nara, itsu goro ittara ii desu ka.
English: If I’m going to Kyoto, when is the best time to go?
Example #10
ไธๅธใซ้
ๅปใฎ้ฃ็ตกใใใใซใฏใใฉใ่จใฃใใใใใงใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใใซใกใใใฎใใใใใใใใซใฏใใฉใใใฃใใใใใงใใใ
Romaji: Jลshi ni chikoku no renraku o suru ni wa, dล ittara ii desu ka.
English: How should I word my contact to my boss about being late?
Notes & Nuances
๐ Important Points
Usually paired with question words.
This pattern is frequently used when choosing among multiple options, often following question words like ใฉใฃใก (docchi), ใฉใ (dore), ใฉใ (doko), and ใชใซ (nani).
Example: ใAใจBใใฉใกใใ้ธใใ ใใใใงใใใใ(A to B, dochira o erandara ii desu ka.)
Conditional meaning: V-ta + ใ (If V, then…)
The core meaning is conditional: “If I were to take this action, would it be good?” The verb action (V-ta) is the hypothetical condition.
Example: ใใใฃใจๆฅๆฌ่ชใ่ฉฑใใใใใซใชใใใใชใใใฉใใใใใใใงใใใใ(Motto Nihongo o hanaseru yล ni naritai nara, dล shitara ii desu ka.)
Response structure: V-ใใใใใงใใ
The answer to this question often uses the same structure, V-ใใใใใงใใ or the slightly stronger V-ใใปใใใใใงใใ (You should do X).
Example: ใ็ฐไธญๅ
็ใซ่ใใใใฉใใงใใใใ(Tanaka sensei ni kiitara dล desu ka.)
โ ๏ธ Common Mistakes
โ ๆฐใใๆฌใ่ฒทใฃใฆใใใใงใใใ
โ
ๆฐใใๆฌใ่ฒทใฃใฆใใใใงใใใ(May I buy a new book?)
Using the ใใฆใใใใงใใ structure incorrectly asks for permission, not advice or suggestions. ใใใใใใงใใ asks for the best option.
โ ๅณๆธ้คจใซ่กใใซใฏใใฉใใใใใใงใใใ
โ
ๅณๆธ้คจใซ่กใใซใฏใใฉใใใใใใใงใใใ(What should I do to get to the library?)
The verb *suru* (ใใ) must be conjugated to the conditional ใ-form (ใใใ) when used with ใใใงใใ.
๐๏ธ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Moderately polite (standard desu/masu level). It demonstrates politeness by deferring the decision or recommendation to the listener, showing respect for their expertise.
Social Situations: Crucial in situations where one is new, inexperienced, or dealing with a superior. It shifts the burden of finding the best solution from the speaker to the listener.
Regional Variations: In some regional dialects, alternatives like ใใใใใใงใใ or ใใใใใใงใใ might be heard, though ใใใใใใงใใ is standard across Japan.
๐ Subtle Differences
ใใใใใใงใใ vs. ใใใปใใใใใงใใ
ใใใใใใงใใ is a direct request for advice or suggestion (What should I do?). ใใใปใใใใใงใใ means “You should do X” and is a statement of strong recommendation or advice, not a question seeking advice.
When to use: Use ใใใใใใงใใ when you are the one seeking advice. Use ใใใปใใใใใงใ when you are giving advice.
ใใใใใใงใใ vs. ใใในใใงใใ
ใใในใใงใใ inquires about duty or obligation (“Should I/Am I supposed to do X?”). ใใใใใใงใใ is a lighter inquiry about the best option.
When to use: Use ใใใใใใงใใ for general recommendations. Use ใใในใใงใใ for moral or professional obligations.
๐ Conjugation Notes
The pattern absolutely requires the verb to be in the completed action or conditional ใ-form (Past Tense). This sets up the condition (“If I did X…”). For irregular verbs, remember the specific ใ-forms (e.g., ใใโใใใ, ๆฅใโๆฅใใ, ่กใโ่กใฃใใ).
๐ Pronunciation Tips
Ensure a clear rising intonation on the final ใงใใ, typical of a direct question. The ‘tara’ part should be pronounced smoothly as a single unit.
๐ง Memory Tips
Break it down: V-ใใ (If I do X) + ใใ (is it good?) + ใงใใ (polite question). Think of it as: “If I do [verb], will that be the best option?”
Other Grammar
Iโm a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. Iโm passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.