In this workshop, you will practice a short conversation about asking for advice. You will learn how to ask what to do, how to ask for advice, and how to understand a suggestion. The recordings give you natural Japanese lines to use. You will play both roles: the person asking for advice and the person responding. This helps you get comfortable with the flow of a real conversation. You do not need to create new phrases; you will use the recorded lines as your guide. By the end, you should be able to ask for advice and understand a simple suggestion in Japanese.
Asking for Advice
When you have a problem, you can ask for advice in Japanese. A simple way to ask what to do is «どうしたらいいですか。». This means 'What should I do?' You can also directly ask for advice with «アドバイスをお願いします。», which means 'Please give me advice.' If you want to mention a specific trouble, you can use «〜で困っています。», which means 'I'm having trouble with ~' or 'I'm in a difficult situation with ~'. To ask if there is a good method, you can say «何かいい方法はありますか。», meaning 'Is there any good method?' or 'Any advice?' These phrases are useful when you want to start a conversation about a problem.
A Short Exchange
Here is a short exchange between two people. Person A says «最近、仕事で困っています。どうしたらいいですか。», which means 'Recently, I'm having trouble at work. What should I do?' Person B responds with «何か具体的な問題がありますか。», meaning 'Is there a specific problem?' Then Person A explains with «上司と上手くいっていません。アドバイスをお願いします。», 'I'm not getting along with my boss. Please give me advice.' Person B then suggests «そうですか。では、まず上司と話し合ってみてはどうですか。», 'I see. Then how about trying to talk it out with your boss first?' This shows a typical pattern: ask for advice, clarify the problem, and receive a suggestion.
Understanding the Suggestion
In the exchange, Person B's suggestion is «そうですか。では、まず上司と話し合ってみてはどうですか。». This means 'I see. Then how about trying to talk it out with your boss first?' The phrase 'how about trying to talk it out' is a gentle suggestion. It is not a command. You can use this pattern to suggest a possible solution. When you hear this, you can accept it or ask for more details. In this workshop, you will practice understanding this suggestion and responding appropriately.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
どうしたらいいですか。
What should I do?
Dō shitara ii desu ka.
アドバイスをお願いします。
Please give me advice.
Adobaisu o onegai shimasu.
〜で困っています。
I'm having trouble with ~ / I'm in a difficult situation with ~
~ de komatte imasu.
何かいい方法はありますか。
Is there any good method? / Any advice?
Nanika ii hōhō wa arimasu ka.
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
最近、仕事で困っています。どうしたらいいですか。
Recently, I'm having trouble at work. What should I do?何か具体的な問題がありますか。
Is there a specific problem?上司と上手くいっていません。アドバイスをお願いします。
I'm not getting along with my boss. Please give me advice.そうですか。では、まず上司と話し合ってみてはどうですか。
I see. Then how about trying to talk it out with your boss first?Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided Exchange: Ask and Respond
You will play both roles. First, you are Person A. You have a problem at work. You want to ask for advice. Use the recorded lines to guide you.
Your task: Say the line for Person A: «最近、仕事で困っています。どうしたらいいですか。». Then, as Person B, ask for clarification: «何か具体的な問題がありますか。». Then, as Person A, explain the problem: «上司と上手くいっていません。アドバイスをお願いします。». Finally, as Person B, give a suggestion: «そうですか。では、まず上司と話し合ってみてはどうですか。». Practice saying each line aloud.
Reply Comprehension: Choose the Best Response
You will hear a line and choose the best response from two options. This tests your understanding of the conversation flow.
Your task: Imagine Person A says «最近、仕事で困っています。どうしたらいいですか。». Which response is better? Option 1: «何か具体的な問題がありますか。». Option 2: «どうしたらいいですか。». Think about which one fits as a reply. Then imagine Person A says «上司と上手くいっていません。アドバイスをお願いします。». Which response is better? Option 1: «そうですか。では、まず上司と話し合ってみてはどうですか。». Option 2: «アドバイスをお願いします。».
Recall with Correct Roles
You will recall the conversation and say the lines with the correct roles. This helps you remember the flow.
Your task: Without looking at the lines, try to remember the conversation. Person A starts with a problem at work. What does Person A say? Then Person B asks for a specific problem. What does Person B say? Then Person A explains the problem with the boss. What does Person A say? Finally, Person B gives a suggestion. What does Person B say? Say each line aloud.
Common questions
Can I use these phrases in other situations?
These phrases are for asking for advice or someone's opinion, not for asking someone to do something for you. You can use «どうしたらいいですか。» and «アドバイスをお願いします。» when you want guidance. The specific lines about work and your boss are examples from the recorded exchange, so use those exact lines when you practice this conversation.
What if I don't understand the suggestion?
If you hear «そうですか。では、まず上司と話し合ってみてはどうですか。» and don't understand, focus on the pattern: Person B is offering a gentle suggestion, not giving a command. In this workshop, practice recognizing that suggestion and saying the line clearly. You can also review the recorded line «何かいい方法はありますか。», which asks for a good method or advice, but keep your practice centered on the four dialogue lines.
Sources and further reading
- japanese: ask for adviceChecked September 2026
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Take today's Japanese into a conversation with a Yapr AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr