This means you really should do something. It shows what is right or what you must do.
Verb [dictionary form] + べきだPrimary
Verb [dictionary form] + べきではない
な-Adjective + である + べきだ
い-Adjective [stem] + く + ある + べきだ
Verb [dictionary form] + べき + Noun
This means you really should do something. It shows what is right or what you must do.
学生はもっと本を読むべきだ。
Students should read more books.
人の悪口は言うべきではない。
You should not speak ill of others.
もっと早く彼に謝るべきだった。
I should have apologized to him sooner.
これが、我々が今取り組むべき課題です。
This is the challenge that we should tackle now.
教師は常に公平であるべきだ。
Teachers should always be fair.
This phrase is like a firm finger wag. It tells someone what they really should do. It can sound strong or even a bit bossy. So be careful when you use it with friends. The past tense shows regret, like 'I should have done that'.
Both mean 'should'. But 'べきだ' is a strong rule. It says what is always right. '〜ほうがいい' is softer. It is advice for one person. For example, 'You should apologize' is '謝ったほうがいいよ'. Using '謝るべきだ' sounds very strict. It is like saying it is your duty. 'べきだ' is also stronger than '〜たらどうか'. That is a gentle idea.
Don't use this when something is not in your control. For example, you can't say "It should be sunny tomorrow." Don't use it for strict rules or laws. Use it for things that are morally right to do.
Less formal alternatives(1)
Track your mastery
Kumi's KMT system tracks your mastery across kanji, vocabulary, grammar, and reading. Create a free account to use it on 220,000+ concepts.