～たらどうですか (how about)

• Reading: たらどうですか
• Romaji: tara dou desu ka
• Formation: Verb た-form + ら + どうですか

Meaning

A phrase which expresses a suggestion, literally meaning 'how would you feel if you did something?' It is a polite way to recommend an action to someone.

たらどうですか combines the たら conditional with どうですか to make a gentle suggestion. It is softer than a direct imperative and shows consideration for the listener's feelings. More casual variants include たらどう and simply たら with rising intonation, while the more polite form is たらいかがですか. This pattern is used to advise someone to do something the speaker believes would benefit them. Care should be taken when using it with superiors, as it may come across as presumptuous or condescending.

Examples

1. もう少し休んだらどうですか。 How about resting a little more?
2. 一度医者に相談したらどうですか。 How about consulting a doctor?
3. 早起きしたらどうですか。 How about waking up early?

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, everyday

Tone: suggestive

Do Say

• 疲れているなら少し寝たらどうですか。
• そんなに気になるなら直接聞いたらどうですか。
• たまには運動したらどうですか。

Don't Say

• 社長、休みを取ったらどうですか。(Using たらどうですか to a superior can sound condescending — use a more polite expression) → 社長、お休みを取られてはいかがですか。
• 静かにしたらどうですか。(When addressing current behavior, たらどうですか sounds confrontational — use a request form instead) → 静かにしていただけませんか。

Origin & History

This expression is a natural combination of the たら conditional and the question どうですか, grammaticalised into a standard suggestion pattern.

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal