B1 Expression Neutral

～たらどうですか

~tara dou desu ka

How about doing ~?

Phrase in 30 Seconds

A polite, slightly firm way to suggest an action to someone.

  • Means: 'Why don't you [do X]?' or 'How about [doing X]?'
  • Used in: Giving advice, making suggestions, or gently pushing someone toward a decision.
  • Don't confuse: It can sound pushy if used with superiors; use with friends or peers.
Thoughtful suggestion + slight push = ～たらどうですか

Explanation at your level:

This is a way to give advice. You use it when you want to suggest something to a friend. It sounds like 'Why don't you do this?'.
When someone has a problem, you can use this phrase to help them. It is polite but not formal. You take a verb, change it to the past tense, add 'ra', and then add 'dou desu ka'.
This expression is a staple of intermediate Japanese. It functions as a soft imperative. By framing a suggestion as a hypothetical question, the speaker avoids sounding overly directive, which is crucial in Japanese social dynamics. It is best suited for peers.
This phrase exemplifies the Japanese linguistic strategy of 'cushioning'. By utilizing the conditional 'tara' form, the speaker creates a distance between the suggestion and the listener, effectively softening the impact of the advice. It is a pragmatic tool for maintaining interpersonal harmony while still providing actionable input.
From a sociolinguistic perspective, this construction serves as a face-saving device. It mitigates the imposition of the speaker's will upon the listener. The use of the conditional mood effectively shifts the focus from a direct command to a speculative inquiry, thereby adhering to the cultural imperative of 'wa' (harmony).
This expression operates within the framework of Japanese politeness theory, specifically addressing the tension between 'honne' (true intent) and 'tatemae' (social facade). By employing a conditional interrogative structure, the speaker provides a suggestion that is ostensibly open to negotiation, thus minimizing the potential for conflict. It is a sophisticated example of how grammatical mood is leveraged to navigate complex social hierarchies and maintain relational equilibrium.

Bedeutung

Suggesting an action to someone.

🌍

Kultureller Hintergrund

Indirectness is a virtue. This phrase allows the listener to feel they have a choice.

⚠️

Don't use with bosses!

It sounds like you are telling them what to do.

Bedeutung

Suggesting an action to someone.

⚠️

Don't use with bosses!

It sounds like you are telling them what to do.

Teste dich selbst

Complete the sentence: [Verb: 帰る (kaeru)] -> ____ たらどうですか。

帰ったらどうですか。

✓ Richtig! ✗ Nicht ganz. Richtige Antwort: 帰ったら

The 'tara' form requires the past tense 'ta' + 'ra'.

🎉 Ergebnis: /1

Visuelle Lernhilfen

Häufig gestellte Fragen

1 Fragen

No, it is too direct.

Verwandte Redewendungen

🔗

～てはいかがですか

specialized form

How about doing X?

Wo du es verwendest

😴

Friend is tired

A: 眠いよ。

B: 少し寝たらどう？

informal
💼

Colleague is stressed

A: 仕事が終わらない。

B: 休憩したらどうですか。

neutral

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Tara' as a 'Tar-get' for your advice. You are aiming your advice at them.

Visual Association

Imagine a friend looking lost, and you gently pointing them toward a door with a smile.

Story

Ken is sad. He lost his job. I say, 'Ken, why don't you try a new hobby?' (Ken, {趣味|しゅみ}を{探|さが}したらどうですか). He smiles. The advice worked.

Word Web

提案 (teian - suggestion)アドバイス (adobaisu - advice)～たら (tara - conditional)どう (dou - how)相談 (soudan - consultation)助言 (jogen - counsel)

Herausforderung

For the next 5 minutes, try to turn every piece of advice you give into a 'tara dou desu ka' sentence.

In Other Languages

Spanish high

¿Por qué no...?

Japanese requires the conditional 'tara' form, while Spanish uses the present tense.

French high

Pourquoi ne pas...?

French uses the infinitive verb, whereas Japanese uses the past conditional.

German moderate

Warum machst du nicht...?

German is more direct; Japanese is more indirect.

Japanese self

～たらどうですか

None.

Arabic high

لماذا لا...

Arabic is often used with the present tense verb.

Chinese high

为什么不...

Chinese is more direct than Japanese.

Korean high

~하는 게 어때요?

Korean uses the 'neun ge' structure.

Portuguese high

Por que você não...?

Portuguese is slightly more informal in its usage of 'você'.

Easily Confused

～たらどうですか vs. ～たらどうですか vs ～てはいかがですか

Learners use both interchangeably, but they have different formality levels.

Use 'tara' for friends, 'ikaga' for business.

FAQ (1)

No, it is too direct.

War das hilfreich?

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