Japanese for Elementary Learners: Asking for Advice with どうしよう and なにかアドバイスはありますか
Learn to ask for advice in Japanese using どうしよう (What should I do?) and なにかアドバイスはありますか (Any suggestions?). Includes a natural dialogue and practice.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
When you have a problem and need help deciding what to do, you need to ask for advice. In Japanese, the key phrase is どうしよう (dō shiyō), which means 'What should I do?' It is used when you are unsure and want someone's input. Another useful phrase is なにかアドバイスはありますか (nanika adobaisu wa arimasu ka), meaning 'Do you have any advice?' or 'Any suggestions?' This lesson teaches you these phrases and how to use them naturally in conversation. You will also learn how to describe a problem simply, so you can ask for advice effectively. By the end, you will be able to seek advice in everyday situations.
By the end, you can…
- ask 'What should I do?' in Japanese using どうしよう.
- ask for suggestions using なにかアドバイスはありますか.
- describe a simple problem before asking for advice.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
どうしよう。
What should I do?
dō shiyō
Used when you are in trouble or unsure and want advice. Often said with a falling intonation, as a sigh-like expression of being at a loss.
なにかアドバイスはありますか。
Do you have any advice? / Any suggestions?
nanika adobaisu wa arimasu ka
A polite way to ask for suggestions. Use with friends or people you know well; for more formal situations, use アドバイスをいただけますか.
かぎをなくしました。
I lost my keys.
kagi o nakushimashita
A simple statement to explain the problem before asking for advice. かぎ means 'key'.
どうすればいいですか。
What should I do? / How should I do it?
dō sureba ii desu ka
A more polite and explicit way to ask for advice. Literally 'What would be good if I do?'
こまっています。
I'm in trouble. / I have a problem.
komatte imasu
Use this to express that you are in a difficult situation and need help.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To ask for advice, you can use どうしよう (dō shiyō) on its own, or combine it with a problem statement. For example: かぎをなくしました。どうしよう。 (I lost my keys. What should I do?) Another pattern is どうすればいいですか (dō sureba ii desu ka), which is more polite. You can also ask なにかアドバイスはありますか (nanika adobaisu wa arimasu ka) after describing your problem. For instance: しごとでミスをしました。なにかアドバイスはありますか。 (I made a mistake at work. Do you have any advice?) Notice that the problem comes first, then the request for advice.
When to use it
Use どうしよう when you are with friends or peers and need quick advice. It is casual and can be used in emergencies. Use どうすればいいですか or なにかアドバイスはありますか when you want to be more polite, such as with a teacher, boss, or someone you don't know well. For example, if you lost your wallet, you might say to a friend: さいふをなくした。どうしよう。 (I lost my wallet. What should I do?) To a police officer, you might say: さいふをなくしました。どうすればいいですか。 (I lost my wallet. What should I do?) The polite form shows respect and is more appropriate in formal situations.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
かぎをなくしました。どうしよう。
I lost my keys. What should I do?kagi o nakushimashita. dō shiyō.たいへんだね。どこでなくしたの？
That's tough. Where did you lose them?taihen da ne. doko de nakushita no?えきでなくしたかもしれません。なにかアドバイスはありますか。
I might have lost them at the station. Do you have any advice?eki de nakushita kamoshiremasen. nanika adobaisu wa arimasu ka.えきのインフォメーションにいってみたら？
Why don't you try going to the station information desk?eki no infomēshon ni itte mitara?A little context goes a long way
In Japanese, asking for advice often involves showing humility and acknowledging the other person's experience. Using polite forms like どうすればいいですか or アドバイスをいただけますか is common when speaking to someone of higher status. With close friends, casual forms like どうしよう are fine. It's also common to apologize for troubling someone before asking for advice, for example: すみません、ちょっとこまっていて… (Excuse me, I'm in a bit of trouble...). This shows consideration and makes the request softer.
One thing to watch for
Using どうしよう as a polite request to a superior, such as saying どうしよう to your boss.
Try this instead: どうしよう is casual and can sound too abrupt or childish in formal contexts. Instead, use どうすればいいですか or どうしたらいいでしょうか. For example, to your boss: かぎをなくしました。どうすればいいですか。 (I lost my keys. What should I do?)
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'What should I do?' in a casual way?
Show a sample answer
どうしよう。
どうしよう is the casual phrase for asking what to do when you are in trouble. It is appropriate with friends. A more polite alternative is どうすればいいですか.
2Translate to Japanese: 'I lost my wallet. Do you have any advice?'
Show a sample answer
さいふをなくしました。なにかアドバイスはありますか。
This uses the polite past tense なくしました for 'lost', and なにかアドバイスはありますか for 'Do you have any advice?' You could also say どうすればいいですか instead of the advice question.
3What is a more polite way to ask 'What should I do?'
Show a sample answer
どうすればいいですか。
どうすればいいですか is a polite and explicit way to ask for advice. It is suitable for formal situations. Another polite form is どうしたらいいでしょうか, which is even more formal.
Use どうしよう for casual 'What should I do?' and なにかアドバイスはありますか for 'Any suggestions?' Remember to describe your problem first, and choose polite forms in formal situations.
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