た方がいい

[Advice: you should ~ / it would be better to ~]

Connection:

• Positive advice: Verb た-form + 方がいい (you should do ~)
• Negative advice: Verb ない-form + 方がいい (you shouldn't do ~)

How to form:

• 食べる → 食べた方がいい (you should eat); 食べない方がいい (you shouldn't eat)
• 行く → 行った方がいい (you should go); 行かない方がいい (you shouldn't go)
• 飲む → 飲んだ方がいい (you should drink); 飲まない方がいい (you shouldn't drink)
• する → した方がいい; くる → きた方がいい

Note: Positive uses た form (past), but negative uses ない form (present). This is a fixed pattern.

• ✓ 薬を飲んだ方がいい (You should take medicine)
• ✓ お酒を飲まない方がいい (You shouldn't drink alcohol)

Examples:

• もっと野菜を食べた方がいいですよ (You should eat more vegetables)
• 夜遅く食べない方がいいです (You shouldn't eat late at night)
• 病院に行った方がいいと思います (I think you should go to the hospital)