Meaning
A question word with the たら conditional asks someone to suggest an appropriate course of action.
Formation
- Question word + た form + らいいですか: どこで買ったらいいですか
- The ば variant works the same: どうすればいいですか
When to use it
- Core use
- Asks for advice about the right action
Examples
16 sentences-
どこで切符を買ったらいいですか
Where should I buy a ticket?
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熱があるんですがどうしたらいいですか
I have a fever; what should I do?
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旅行に何を持って行ったらいいですか
What should I take on the trip?
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明日は何時に来たらいいですか
What time should I come tomorrow?
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日本語の本はどれを読んだらいいですか
Which Japanese book should I read?
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駅へはどう行ったらいいですか
How should I get to the station?
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切符はどこで買ったらいいですか
Where should I buy a ticket?
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この問題はだれに聞いたらいいですか
Who should I ask about this problem?
8 more examples
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次はいつ来たらいいですか
When should I come next?
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旅行に何を持ってきたらいいですか
What should I bring on the trip?
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これはどう説明したらいいですか
How should I explain this?
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どのボタンを押したらいいですか
Which button should I press?
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家を何時に出たらいいですか
What time should I leave home?
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どちらを選んだらいいですか
Which of the two should I choose?
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いくら払ったらいいですか
How much should I pay?
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車はどこに止めたらいいですか
Where should I park the car?
Important notes
- たらいい can ask for advice or suggest a course of action.
Common mistakes
- どうしたらいいですか asks what to do; do not read たら as past time here.
Check yourself
Pick the translation of each sentence. The wrong options translate similar patterns, so watch the grammar rather than the words.
Similar grammar
Hear it in podcasts
The pattern appears in these episodes. They open in the app with the transcript and translation.
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