ましょうmashou“let’s or shall we”

ましょう means let’s ~. It is a JLPT N5 verb ending that turns a polite verb into a suggestion to do something together: 行きます (I go) becomes 行きましょう (let’s go).

It is one of the friendliest endings in beginner Japanese. You use it to get an activity started, to agree to a plan someone else suggested, and — with か added — to ask “shall we?” about the details.

ましょう — swap ます for ましょう and “I do” becomes “let’s do.”

What does ましょう mean?

ましょう is the polite volitional form of a verb: the form that expresses the speaker’s will. In everyday use it means:

• let’s ~ — 「始めましょう。」 Let’s start.
• shall we ~? — with か: 「どこで会いましょうか。」 Where shall we meet?
• let’s (please) ~ — a gentle instruction in classrooms and on public signs: 「静かにしましょう。」 Let’s keep it quiet.

The speaker is usually part of the group doing the action. That is the key difference from a request like てください, which asks only the listener to act.

How to form ましょう

Take the ます form of any verb and replace ます with ましょう. Because it is built on the ます stem, the rule is the same for every verb group.

• 行きます → 行きましょう (let’s go)
• 食べます → 食べましょう (let’s eat)
• 始めます → 始めましょう (let’s begin)
• します → しましょう (let’s do it)
• 来ます → 来ましょう (let’s come)

Add か at the end for a question: 行きましょうか (shall we go?). The casual equivalent of ましょう is the plain volitional form (行こう, 食べよう), which you will learn at N4.

When is ましょう used?

• Starting something together: 「じゃ、始めましょう。」 — the classic line at the start of a lesson or meeting.
• Accepting an invitation: when someone asks 「行きませんか。」, the natural yes is 「ええ、行きましょう。」
• Planning details: 「何時に会いましょうか。」 — once you both agree to meet, ましょうか works out the when and where.
• Soft instructions: teachers say 「教科書を開きましょう。」 to a class, and signs say 「ゴミは持って帰りましょう。」 (Please take your rubbish home). Here the speaker isn’t really joining in; ましょう just makes the instruction sound cooperative instead of bossy.

Register: ましょう is polite. With close friends you switch to the casual volitional (行こう) or simply say 行こうよ.

ましょう example sentences

Example 3 is the most important pattern for conversation: ませんか invites, ましょう accepts. Example 6 shows why a direct “let’s” translation sometimes doesn’t work in English: signs using ましょう are closer to “please.”

Nuance of ましょう

ましょう assumes agreement. When you say 「行きましょう。」, you are not asking whether the other person wants to go; you are moving the group forward. That makes it perfect once everyone is on board, and slightly pushy if they aren’t.

This is why Japanese speakers often use two steps. First they invite with a question (行きませんか), and only after the other person agrees do they use ましょう to confirm and plan (じゃ、行きましょう。何時にしましょうか). Jumping straight to ましょう with someone you don’t know well, or with a superior, can sound like you are deciding for them.

💡 Two ましょうか: 「行きましょうか。」 can mean “shall we go?” (a group suggestion), while 「手伝いましょうか。」 means “shall I help?” (an offer). If only you would do the action, it’s an offer — see ましょうか.

ましょう vs ませんか

ませんか is the other N5 way to suggest doing something. Both can often be translated “let’s,” but they do different jobs in a conversation.

A simple rule: invite with ませんか, agree and plan with ましょう. If you are the teacher, the leader, or everyone clearly wants to do it, ましょう alone is fine.

Common mistakes with ましょう

Is ましょう on the JLPT?

In listening tasks, the final ましょう usually states the decision. If the dialogue goes 「バスで行きませんか。」「うーん、タクシーで行きましょう。」, the answer is the taxi.

Practice questions for ましょう

Learning path for ましょう

Related grammar to review next

• ませんか — the polite invitation question that ましょう usually answers.
• ましょうか — same ending plus か, used for “shall I?” offers and “shall we?” planning.
• 一緒に — “together,” the word that most often travels with ましょう.
• 意向形 (volitional form) — the casual form behind ましょう: 行こう, 食べよう.
• つもり — for stating your own plan, where ましょう doesn’t fit.

Learn ましょう with Hane

Hane practises ましょう inside short invite-and-reply exchanges, so ませんか and ましょう come as a pair. Get started with Hane.