89149
> _Hou ga ii_ can follow verbs used for giving suggestions and advices. _To
> omoimasu_ , which means 'I think', often follows this expression, making it
> sound less assertive. It follows verbs in the _ta_ -form (plain affirmative
> past) and the _nai_ -form (plain negative past). It can also follow verbs in
> the dictionary form, but the expression sounds more direct than when it is
> followed by verbs in the _ta_ -form.

[Essential Japanese
Grammar](https://books.google.com.mx/books/about/Essential_Japanese_Grammar.html?id=CUXRAgAAQBAJ&printsec=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&hl=en&redir_esc=y),
page 194.

From there on the book provides some examples, but no verb in plain negative
past form, _nakatta_ -form, is exemplified and, in my little experience, I
have never come across such example.

In other words, given the sentence「子供の周りでタバコを吸わない方がいいね」, can we instead
say「子供の周りでタバコを吸わなかった方がいいね」? That is, can we use 吸わなかった instead of 吸わない?
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-08-31T20:52:11.470
89147
2021-09-01T04:26:31.667
2021-09-01T01:46:11.540
5010
45630
question
grammar
Is it possible to use a verb in なかった form when using ~た方がいい?
You cannot use ～しなかった方がいい to express a future recommendation.

た in ～した方がいい is there to express the **perfect aspect** , not the past tense
(See: [In front of "ほうがいい," is it always past
tense?](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/q/24426/5010)). You cannot attach た
to ～しない in this construction because ～しない is not an action you can start or
complete.
CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-09-01T02:06:29.683
89149
2021-09-01T04:26:31.667
2021-09-01T04:26:31.667
5010
5010
89147
answer