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Phrase
| It is strongly suggested that someone do something. | Had better do something |
| 【Related Expression: たらどうですか】 |
(ks). 日本語の本を読んだほうがいいです。
You'd better read Japanese books.
| Vinformal past | ほうがいい | |
| 話したほうがいい | Had better talk | |
| 食べたほうがいい | Had better eat |
(a). 野菜も食べたほうがいいよ。
You'd better eat vegetables, too.
(b). もう帰ったほうがいいですか。
Had I better go home now?
1. Verb informal past ほうがいい is an idiomatic expression of the comparative structure and expresses a strong suggestion.
(⇨ ほうが~より)
2. The second person subject in declarative sentences and the first person subject in interrogative sentences are usually omitted. (Key Sentence and Examples (a) and (b)) When the subject is the third person, it is not omitted unless it can be clearly understood from the context. In this case, the speaker is telling the hearer what the speaker suggests for the third person. (Example (c))
3. Verb informal nonpast can be substituted for Verb informal past, as in (1).
The meaning of Verb informal nonpast ほうがいい is almost the same as that of Verb informal past ほうがいい if it is used in situations of suggestion. However, Verb informal past ほうがいい may express a stronger suggestion than Verb informal nonpast ほうがいい. For instance, in the following example, Verb informal past ほうがいい is more appropriate.
4. "Had better not do something" is expressed by Verb negative ないほうがいい. Example:
Note that the verb must be in the nonpast negative form in this expression. The following is ungrammatical.