had better do, should do (advice)

Past tense plus ほうがいい gives advice with some urgency: you had better do this. The negative version uses the plain negative, not the past: 飲まないほうがいい. It is stronger and more personal than a simple suggestion.

Examples

• もっと野菜やさいを食たべたほうがいいですよ。

  Motto yasai o tabeta hou ga ii desu yo.

  You should eat more vegetables.

• 熱ねつがあるなら、病院びょういんに行いったほうがいいです。

  Netsu ga aru nara, byouin ni itta hou ga ii desu.

  If you have a fever, you had better go to the hospital.

Vocabulary in these examples

• もっと more
• 野菜 vegetable
• 食べる to eat
• いい good
• 熱 fever
• ある to exist (inanimate); to have

Related patterns · Obligation and advice

• 〜なければならない must, have to
• 〜なくてもいい do not have to
• 〜たらどうですか how about doing, why not do