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JLPT N3 · Sentence patterns

といい / たらいい (to ii / tara ii)

～といい／～たらいい — “I hope ～ / you should ～”

In short · Verb + といい / たらいい has two main uses. Speaking about something outside your control, it expresses a hope (“I hope ～”). When talking to someone about what they should do, it gives advice (“you should ～”).
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Pattern

  • 動詞辞書形／ない形 ＋ といい dictionary or ない form + といい: hope (晴れるといい)
  • 動詞た形 ＋ らいい ta-form + ら + いい: advice or suggestion (聞いたらいい)
  • 〜といいですね／〜といいのですが …といいですね / …といいのですが: polite hope

Hope: ～といい

Used for things you cannot control, such as weather, results, or deliveries: 明日晴れるといいですね. The speaker is wishing. A softened ending like ～のですが makes the hope more polite.

Advice: ～たらいい

Used when talking to someone who is in trouble: 道に迷ったら、駅の人に聞いたらいいですよ. It means “it would be good if you did ～.” Both the ta-form + ら and と are possible, but advice is most natural with たら.

Notes

With advice to a superior, ～たらいいですよ may sound forward; ～てみてはいかがですか is softer. ～といい for a hope never describes your own deliberate action.

Examples

  • 明日（あした）晴（は）れるといいですね。

    Ashita hareru to ii desu ne.

    I hope it's sunny tomorrow.

  • 週末（しゅうまつ）までに荷物（にもつ）が届（とど）くといいのですが。

    Shūmatsu made ni nimotsu ga todoku to ii no desu ga.

    I hope the package arrives by the weekend.

  • 道（みち）に迷（まよ）ったら、駅（えき）の人（ひと）に聞（き）いたらいいですよ。

    Michi ni mayottara, eki no hito ni kiitara ii desu yo.

    If you get lost, you should just ask someone at the station.

Common mistakes

  • For a hope, use things outside your control. For your own plan, say ～たい or ～つもりだ instead.
  • Advice is たら. Using 聞くといいですよ is possible, but 聞いたらいい is more typical for a direct suggestion.

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