modality N3 common casualpolitewritten
たらいいか — what should I ~?
たらいいか
Builds on たら
Meaning
- what / how / where should I ~? — pairs a question word with たらいい to ask for advice on the best course of action
Key sentence
どうやって行ったらいいか、教えてください。
Please tell me how I should get there.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Question word + Verb た-form + らいいか | [question word] + Vたら + いいか | 何を買ったらいいか / どこで待ったらいいか |
Examples
困ったときは、誰に相談したらいいですか。
When I'm in trouble, who should I consult?
この問題をどう解いたらいいか分からない。
I don't know how I should solve this problem.
Easily confused with
Notes
- Politeness rides on the ending: たらいいですか (polite) / たらいいか (plain). The parallel forms 〜ばいいか and 〜たらいいでしょうか carry the same 'what should I' meaning.
See たらいいか in real sentences
Jengo shows たらいいか the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Advanced Japanese Grammar.