How to Say “Let’s…” in Japanese: ～ましょう for Beginners

The short answer

Use ～ましょう (mashou) to suggest or confirm doing an action together. In English, it often means “let’s…”.

You usually do not need a separate word for “we”. The ending and the situation make the shared suggestion clear.

Make the ～ましょう form

If you know the polite ～ます (masu) form, replace ます with ましょう.

Start with familiar verbs such as 飲む (nomu, drink), 見る (miru, watch or see), and 勉強 (benkyou, study).

Do not keep ます and add ましょう. 食べますましょう is incorrect; use 食べましょう (tabemashou).

Everyday examples

Practise the pattern with ordinary words such as コーヒー (koohii, coffee), 映画 (eiga, movie), 明日 (ashita, tomorrow), and the verbs 休む (yasumu, rest) and 話す (hanasu, talk).

Add a time, place or いっしょに (issho ni, together) before the verb when it helps.

～ましょう vs ～ませんか

Both forms can involve a shared activity, but they do different jobs.

～ましょう directly proposes the activity or confirms that you will do it together.

～ませんか asks whether the other person would like to join, so it gives them a clearer opening to accept or decline.

A common exchange is:

～ましょう vs ～たいです

～ましょう suggests a shared action. ～たいです (tai desu) describes what the speaker wants to do.

Common beginner mistakes

• Using ～ましょう for an action only you will do. 食べましょう means “Let’s eat,” while 食べます can mean “I eat” or “I will eat.”
• Saying 食べますましょう. Replace ます with ましょう: 食べましょう.
• Using ～ましょう when you mean “I want to…”. Use ～たいです for your own desire.
• Treating ～ましょう as the only invitation form. ～ませんか is often better when you are asking whether someone wants to join.

Practise saying it

Say each line aloud, then replace the action with one of your own.

Try the pattern いっしょに ___ ましょう (issho ni ___ mashou): “Let’s ___ together.” Use 食べ (tabe), 飲み (nomi), 勉強し (benkyou shi), or 話し (hanashi).

Quick quiz

1. What does 行きましょう (ikimashou) mean?
2. Change 食べます (tabemasu) into “Let’s eat.”
3. How do you say “Let’s study Japanese”?
4. Which means “I want to go”: 行きましょう or 行きたいです?
5. Which form asks more clearly whether someone would like to join: ～ましょう or ～ませんか?

Answers

1. Let’s go.
2. 食べましょう (tabemashou).
3. 日本語を勉強しましょう (nihongo o benkyou shimashou).
4. 行きたいです (ikitai desu).
5. ～ませんか (masen ka).

Frequently asked questions

How do you say “let’s” in Japanese?

A common polite pattern is ～ましょう (mashou). Japanese changes the verb ending rather than adding a separate word exactly like English “let’s”.

Do I need いっしょに with ～ましょう?

No. いっしょに (issho ni, together) is optional. It makes the shared meaning explicit, but 食べましょう already works as “Let’s eat” in the right context.

Does ～ましょう mean “I will”?

Not in this beginner pattern. It normally proposes, confirms or encourages an action involving the listener. Use the ordinary ～ます form for a simple polite statement about what you do or will do.

Continue learning

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