Skip to content
JLPT N5Verb Forms

ましょう— The Polite "Let's"

A polite way to propose doing something together, or to offer to do something. Turns the speaker's intent into a shared suggestion: 'let's ~' or, with か, 'shall we / shall I ~?'

Grammar path · 練習

Practice this in the path

A short lesson: the pattern, its sentence anatomy, a quick quiz and a sentence to build.

Pro lessonUNIT 13 · VERB FORMS

Structure · 形

[Verb masu-stem] + ましょう / ましょうか

Examples · 例文

  • 乾杯しましょう！

    Kanpai shimashou!

    Let's toast / cheers!

    乾杯し (masu-stem of 乾杯する) + ましょう (let's)

  • 少し手伝いましょうか？

    Sukoshi tetsudaimashou ka?

    Shall I help you a little?

    手伝い (help, masu-stem) + ましょうか — offering to do something for the listener

  • 駅の前で会いましょう。

    Eki no mae de aimashou.

    Let's meet in front of the station.

    会い (meet, masu-stem) + ましょう — proposing a shared plan

Usage notes · 注意

  • Nuance: ましょう assumes a fair amount of shared agreement — you are proposing something you expect the listener to go along with. • ましょうか has two readings by context: 'shall we ~?' (joint action) or 'shall I ~?' (offering to do it for them). • Casual counterpart: the plain volitional form — 行こう！(Let's go!).

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ましょう is tested against.

vs〜ませんか

ませんか is a softer invitation that leaves the listener free to decline; ましょう assumes agreement and rallies the group into action.

vs〜たい

たい states the speaker's own desire ('I want to'); ましょう proposes a shared action ('let's').

vsVolitional 〜おう/よう

The plain volitional (行こう) is the casual equivalent of ましょう; ましょう is its polite form.

More verb forms

Study Japanese grammar on LenGaki

Everything on this page, ready to study

  • 7,788 JLPT vocabulary words, N5 through N1, with readings and audio (N5 free)
  • 2,057 kanji with on'yomi, kun'yomi and stroke-order practice
  • 445 grammar points with examples and commonly-confused comparisons
  • Full-length N5 and N4 mock exams, timed, with real listening audio (N5 sets 1 and 2 free)