たらどう
🃏 Flashcard
たらどう
tara dou
Tap to reveal usage
why don't you
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
tara dou
Post ID
50769
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
why don't you
📖 How to use it
Suggests a course of action with 'why don't you', often as advice or a gentle suggestion.
Attaches to
Attach to the た-form of a verb (plain past tense), e.g., 行ったら, 食べたら. This is a conditional たら clause followed by どう. For nouns and な-adjectives, the pattern is だったらどう.
This pattern is used to suggest an action to the listener, often when they seem unsure or are seeking advice. It's like saying 'How about doing...?' or 'Why don't you...?'. The たら form makes it conditional, and どう asks 'how'. So literally it's 'if you do X, how (would it be)?'.
It is a common, natural way to give advice in conversation. It sounds softer than a direct command. You can also use it when you are slightly critical, implying the listener should do something they have not thought of. It is fine in both casual and polite contexts, but in polite speech you might add ですか: 行ったらどうですか?
疲れているなら、休んだらどう？
Tsukarete iru nara, yasunda ra dou?
If you're tired, why don't you rest?
日本語が上手になりたいなら、毎日練習したらどうですか。
Nihongo ga jouzu ni naritai nara, mainichi renshuu shitara dou desu ka.
If you want to get better at Japanese, why don't you practice every day?
駅まで遠いなら、自転車を使ったらどう？
Eki made tooi nara, jitensha o tsukattara dou?
If the station is far, why don't you use a bicycle?
Not ～たらいい
～たらいい asks what is best to do ('what should I do?'), while ～たらどう suggests a specific action to the listener. For example, どうしたらいいですか? asks for advice, but 行ったらどうですか? is giving advice.
Register
Spoken and conversational; neutral in politeness, but adding ですか makes it more formal.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
たらどう
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat たらどう three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using たらどう. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern たらどう mean?
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Why don't you
What JLPT level is たらどう?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use たらどう in a sentence?
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Attach たらどう (tara dou) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is たらどう formal or casual Japanese?
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たらどう is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember たらどう long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.