-는 게 좋겠다
had better, I’d suggest
Recommends a course of action. Built from -는 것 plus 좋겠다 — literally “doing it would be good.”
Build it
Pick a verb
When to use it
Attach -는 to the verb stem, then 게 좋겠다. 게 is the contracted form of 것이. Stems ending in ㄹ drop it: 만드는 게 좋겠어요.
The -겠- inside is doing real work. 좋아요 would state a fact about what is good; 좋겠어요 presents it as your judgement, which is what makes the sentence a suggestion rather than a pronouncement.
It is gentler than -아/어야 되다, which says something is required. Advising a friend to see a doctor, 병원에 가는 게 좋겠어요 suggests; 병원에 가야 돼요 insists.
To advise against something, negate the first verb: 안 가는 게 좋겠어요.
How to attach it
| Situation | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Any verb | -는 게 좋겠다 | 가다 → 가는 게 좋겠어요 |
| Ends in ㄹ | ㄹ drops | 만들다 → 만드는 게 좋겠어요 |
| Advising against | 안 + verb | 안 가는 게 좋겠어요 |
| Full form | -는 것이 좋겠다 | 가는 것이 좋겠습니다 |
| To someone senior | -(으)시는 게 | 가시는 게 좋을 것 같습니다 |
| Never takes tense | plain stem + 는 | 갔는 게 좋겠어요 is wrong |
In use
많이 아프면 병원에 가는 게 좋겠어요.
If it hurts a lot, you’d better see a doctor.
비가 오니까 우산을 가져가는 게 좋겠어요.
It’s raining, so you’d better take an umbrella.
오늘은 일찍 자는 게 좋겠어요.
You’d better go to bed early tonight.
그 이야기는 안 하는 게 좋겠어요.
It’d be better not to bring that up.
저녁은 집에서 만드는 게 좋겠어요.
It’d be better to make dinner at home.
지금 출발하시는 게 좋을 것 같습니다.
I think it would be best if you set off now.
Compared with
-아/어야 되다
-아/어야 되다 states a requirement; -는 게 좋겠다 offers advice. The first leaves no room to decline.
병원에 가야 돼요. (you have to go) / 병원에 가는 게 좋겠어요. (you’d better go)
-(으)세요
An imperative directs; this construction recommends. When you are not in a position to instruct, the softer form is safer.
일찍 주무세요. (go to bed early) / 일찍 자는 게 좋겠어요. (you’d be better off sleeping early)
-(으)ㄹ 것 같다
For advice to someone senior, wrapping the suggestion in 것 같다 softens it further. Direct advice upward is delicate in Korean.
가는 게 좋겠어요. (to a peer) / 가시는 게 좋을 것 같습니다. (to a superior)
Watch out
저녁을 만들는 게 좋겠어요.
저녁을 만드는 게 좋겠어요.
Stems ending in ㄹ drop it before -는, as everywhere in the modifier system.
어제 병원에 갔는 게 좋겠어요.
어제 병원에 갔어야 했어요.
This construction only advises about what to do next, so it takes no past form. For a missed obligation, use -았/었어야 하다.
사장님, 지금 가는 게 좋겠어요.
사장님, 지금 가시는 게 좋을 것 같습니다.
Advising a superior needs the honorific -(으)시- and a further softener. Direct advice upward can sound presumptuous.
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