LEARN + JAPANESE / Note 66 JLPT N5
Let's (ましょう)
ましょう attaches to a verb’s stem to mean “let’s.” Add か and the same shape becomes a suggestion instead of a proposal, “shall we,” softer and more tentative.
Let's swim in the ocean in Hawaii.
Shall I clean the room?
In Real Life
ましょうか often isn’t proposing something for both of you, it’s one person offering to do something alone and checking if that’s wanted, closer to “should I…” than “let’s.” Context, especially who’s actually doing the verb, tells the two uses apart.
Let's climb a mountain in Hawaii.
Should we bake a cake?
In Real Life
ろう/おう/よう is the casual version of ましょう, built by shifting the verb’s dictionary-form ending the same way the negative and past tenses shift, not by attaching ましょう and then stripping the polite part off. 話す becomes 話そう, 食べる becomes 食べよう, 来る becomes 来よう, each verb group has its own casual volitional shape to learn.
Vocabulary
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| to call, invite | |
| to start | |
| to warm up, heat | |
| refrigerator | |
| preparation | |
| to help | |
| to learn | |
| to play, hang out | |
| to eat | |
| to drink | |
| to watch, see | |
| to go | |
| party | |
| travel, trip | |
| shopping | |
| movie | |
| to sing | |
| to dance | |
| to take (a photo) | |
| to open |