のほうがよかった vs ばよかった


So のほうがいい means you should or its better to do. So using that context, does
のほうがよかった exist, to where it would mean you should have or it would have been
better to do something? If that was the case would that be similar to ばよかった,
would they be the same?

Also, does のほう only apply to other people and not yourself, while ばよかった can
refer to yourself or other people?




(の)ほうがよかった indicates you were consciously aware of that option but did not
choose it in the past. Remember that ほう has a function of comparing two
things. Practically, the difference is like this:

  1. 買えばよかった。  
I/You/They should have bought it.

  2. 買うほうがよかった。  
I/You/They should have _decided/chosen to_ buy it.

The implied subject can be anyone depending on the context. And note that の is
not necessary when you use ほう with a verb.

ばよかった works even if someone actually didn't consider that option at all in the
past:

  * 宝くじ当たったの？ 買えばよかった！  
You won a lottery? I should have bought one too!

  * パーティーは最高だったよ、来ればよかったのに。  
The party was great, you should have come!




(の)ほうがよかった indicates you were consciously aware of that option but did not
choose it in the past. Remember that ほう has a function of comparing two
things. Practically, the difference is like this:

  1. 買えばよかった。  
I/You/They should have bought it.

  2. 買うほうがよかった。  
I/You/They should have _decided/chosen to_ buy it.

The implied subject can be anyone depending on the context. And note that の is
not necessary when you use ほう with a verb.

ばよかった works even if someone actually didn't consider that option at all in the
past:

  * 宝くじ当たったの？ 買えばよかった！  
You won a lottery? I should have bought one too!

  * パーティーは最高だったよ、来ればよかったのに。  
The party was great, you should have come!

