B1 Expression Neutral 1 min de lectura

～たらどうですか

~tara dou desu ka

How about doing ~?

Practícalo

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

Explicación a tu nivel:

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.

Significado

Suggesting an action to someone.

🌍

Contexto cultural

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.

⚠️

Don't use with bosses!

It sounds like you are telling them what to do.

Ponte a prueba

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

帰ったらどうですか。

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 帰ったら

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

🎉 Puntuación: /1

Ayudas visuales

Banco de ejercicios

2 ejercicios
Elige la respuesta correcta Fill Blank

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta:
Complete the sentence: [Verb: 帰る (kaeru)] -> ____ たらどうですか。 Fill Blank B1

帰ったらどうですか。

✓ ¡Correcto! ✗ No del todo. Respuesta correcta: 帰ったら

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

🎉 Puntuación: /2

Preguntas frecuentes

1 preguntas

No, it is too direct.

Frases relacionadas

🔗

～てはいかがですか

specialized form

How about doing X?

Dónde usarla

😴

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

Memorízalo

Mnemotecnia

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

Asociación visual

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.

In Other Languages

It is very similar to 'Why don't you...' in English, which also uses a question to make a suggestion.

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)

Desafío

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

Review in 1 day, 3 days, 1 week, and 1 month.

Pronunciación

Acento Flat, with a slight rise at the end for the question.

The 'r' is a flap sound.

Espectro de formalidad

Formal
お召し上がりになってはいかがでしょうか。

お召し上がりになってはいかがでしょうか。 (Mealtime)

Neutral
食べたらどうですか。

食べたらどうですか。 (Mealtime)

Informal
食べたらどう？

食べたらどう？ (Mealtime)

Jerga
食えば？

食えば？ (Mealtime)

The phrase comes from the combination of the conditional 'tara' (if) and the interrogative 'dou' (how).

Edo:

Dato curioso

It is one of the first 'soft' suggestion phrases taught in Japanese language schools.

Notas culturales

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

“もっと勉強したらどうですか。”

Inicios de conversación

“

友達が疲れています。何と言いますか？

Errores comunes

✗

社長に、もっと働いたらどうですか。

✓

社長、もう少し働いてみてはいかがでしょうか。

wrong register
Using 'tara dou desu ka' with a boss is extremely rude. It sounds like you are ordering them around.

L1 Interference

0 1

In Other Languages

Spanish Very Similar

¿Por qué no...?

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

French Very Similar

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 Very Similar

لماذا لا...

Arabic is often used with the present tense verb.

Chinese Very Similar

为什么不...

Chinese is more direct than Japanese.

Korean Very Similar

~하는 게 어때요?

Korean uses the 'neun ge' structure.

Portuguese Very Similar

Por que você não...?

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

Spotted in the Real World

📺

(2018)

“もっと話したらどう？”

Giving advice to a housemate.

Fácil de confundir

～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.

Preguntas frecuentes (1)

No, it is too direct.

usage contexts

Learning Path

Prerequisites

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