たほうがいい

It'd be better to, Should do

食たべる前まえに手てを洗あらった方ほうがいいよ。

You should wash your hands before you eat.

Explanation

「〜たほうがいい」 is advice, 'you had better …': 「薬を飲んだほうがいいですよ」 (You should take some medicine). It compares 'doing it' with 'not doing it' and says the first is better. It is common among friends, from a doctor to a patient, and between peers. The polite form is 「〜たほうがいいです」.

Mixed up with

For advice to someone, the verb usually takes the た-form: 「〜たほうがいい」. The dictionary form (「片付けるほうがいい」) is also used for general statements, but in exams pick the た-form for advice.

Advice carries the tone 'I know what is good for you', so do not say 「〜たほうがいいです」 straight to a boss or an elder; to offer an opinion upward use 「〜てはいかがでしょうか」.

In speech 「が」 is often dropped: 「〜たほういい」.

Examples

帰かえったほうがいい。
It'd be better to go home.
朝あさごはんを食たべたほうがいい。
It would be better to eat breakfast.
お医者いしゃさんに聞きいたほうがいい。
It would be better to ask a doctor.
警察けいさつに言いった方ほうがいい。
You should tell the police.
自分じぶんの皿さらを洗あらったほうがいい。
It would be better to wash your own dishes.
それは返かえしたほうがいいだろう。
It would be better to return that, wouldn't it.
「宿題しゅくだいをしたほうがいい」と先生せんせいが言いいました。
'It would be better to do your homework', the teacher said.
ここに住すんだほうがいい。
It would be better to live here.
座すわったほうがいいでしょう。
It would be better to sit down, don't you think?
毎日まいにち掃除そうじをしたほうがいい。
It would be better to clean every day.
ニュースを見みたほうがいい。
It would be better to watch the news.
家いえに帰かえったほうがいいよ。
It would be better to return home.
川かわに遊あそびに行いったほうがいい。
It would be better to go play in the river.

たほうがいい

Explanation

Mixed up with

Examples

Tested 2 times in past papers