たらどうですか

Phrase (Basic ㊦ 457)

A phrase which expresses a suggestion (literally: How would you feel if you do something?)

Equivalent: Why don't you do ~?; what about doing ~?

もっと日本の本を読んだらどうですか。: Why don't you read more Japanese books?
サラダも食べたらどうですか。: Why don't you eat salad, too?
山村先生に聞いたらどうですか。: Why don't you ask Professor Yamamura?

Formation

Vinformal past	らどうですか。
	話したらどうですか。	Why don’t you talk ~ ?
	食べたらどうですか。	Why don’t you eat ~

Notes

1. Verb informal past らどうですか is an idiomatic phrase derived from the "Sentence1 たら Sentence2" construction and expressing a suggestion.

(⇨ たら)

2. The informal version is Verb informal past らどう? More polite versions are Verb informal past らどうでしょう(か) and Verb informal past らいかがでしょう(か).

(⇨ だろう)

【Related Expression】

ほうがいい also expresses suggestion, but this phrase is close to a command (especially when it is preceded by Verb informal past), and, therefore, is stronger than たらどうですか.