How to Say ‘What should I do?’ in Japanese
どうすればいいですか。
dou sure ba ii desu ka
[doo soo-reh bah ee dess kah]
💬 Usage Tip: 〜ばいいですか asks for advice: "would it be good if I...?" Swap the verb for others, like 何を食べればいいですか "What should I eat?"
Phrase Breakdown
どうすれば
dou sure ba
what should (I) do / how should (I)
Pronounced 'dō sureba'. どう means 'how' and すれば means 'if I do'. Hold the long 'ō'.
どうすれば治りますか。
What should I do to get better?
Words in this phrase
どう
dou
[doo]
how; in what way
どう asks about manner or method: 'how?' or 'what should one do?'
どういきますか。
How do you go?
すれ
sure
[soo-reh]
if do
Part of すれば, meaning 'if [I] do' or 'what if [I] do.'
どうすればいいですか。
What should I do?
ば
ba
[bah]
if
Conditional particle meaning if or when attached to verbs.
先に聞けば安心でした。
If I had asked first, I would have felt reassured.
いいですか。
ii desu ka
is it good? / would be best?
Pronounced 'ii desu ka'. Make いい a long 'ee' sound. Your tone rises slightly because it is a question.
ここに座ってもいいですか。
May I sit here?
Words in this phrase
いい
ii
[ee]
good; okay
A common word for something being good, fine, or acceptable.
その形でいいです。
That shape is fine.
です
desu
[dess]
is; polite copula
Polite form of 'to be' used in many basic sentences.
こちらで大丈夫です。
This is fine.
か
ka
[kah]
question marker
Placed at the end of a sentence to make it a question.
かがあると質問になります。
When か is there, it becomes a question.
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