Meaning
This grammar pattern is used when suggesting something or offering advice to someone. It's formed by attaching ら（どう）to the past tense form of a verb. Among close friends, the どう can be omitted. The ら at the end of the sentence should have a rising intonation. A more polite version is たらいかがですか.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 动词た形 | ら（どう） |
Examples
-
A:事務所の電話番号を知らない？B:さあ、学校のホームページで調べたら？
A: Don't you know the office phone number? B: I don't know... Why don't you try looking it up on the school's homepage? -
A:この数学の問題がどうしても解けないなあ。B:先生に聞いてみたら？
A: I just can't solve this math problem no matter how hard I try. B: Why don't you ask your teacher? -
社長:みなさん、海外市場での商品の売り上げをあげる方法は何かありますか。部下:メディア広告にもっと力を入れたらいかがでしょうか。
President: Does anyone have ideas on how to increase our product sales in overseas markets? Subordinate: How about putting more effort into media advertising?
Summary
- Use verb past tense (た form) + ら（どう） to suggest or recommend an action
- Can omit どう in casual conversation between close people; use rising intonation
- Formal version: たらいかがですか is more polite and commonly used in business situations