たほうがいい details
write + (past) + had better do
kaita hou ga ii
had better do; should (advice)
meaning: had better write
傘、持って行ったほうがいいよ。
kasa, motte itta hou ga ii yo.
You'd better take an umbrella. casual
連休は混むから、早めに予約したほうがいい。
renkyuu wa komu kara, hayame ni yoyakushita hou ga ii.
It gets crowded over the long weekend, so you had better book early. neutral
- past
- polite
Examples
had better; it would be smart to — advice for the listener's benefit
傘、持って行ったほうがいいよ。
kasa, motte itta hou ga ii yo.
You'd better take an umbrella. casual
連休は混むから、早めに予約したほうがいい。
renkyuu wa komu kara, hayame ni yoyakushitahougaii.
It gets crowded over the long weekend, so you had better book early. neutral
一度、専門の方に相談したほうがいいと思います。
ichido, senmon no kata ni soudan shita hou ga ii to omoimasu.
I think it would be best to consult a specialist. formal
Formation
{V-ta}ほうがいいattaches to た-form
Notes
Related patterns
Similar
たほうがいい is advice scaled to the listener's situation, spoken and hedgeable; べきだ appeals to principle and lands as a verdict — a doctor says 休んだほうがいいですよ, an editorial writes 休むべきだ.
たほうがいい recommends while the choice is still open and can still be followed; ばよかった is the same advice arriving too late — the speaker regrets not having taken it.
Opposite
- ないほうがいいplain-antonym
Polarity flips inside the frame with an asymmetry worth drilling — advice to do rides た (行ったほうがいい), advice to refrain rides plain ない (行かないほうがいい), never ×なかったほうがいい.
Lookalikes
The ほうが is the same word but the pattern is not — AのほうがB compares two things; たほうがいい recommends an action, and no comparison partner is on stage.