G20 · Inviting: 〜ませんか

Before you start

The sentences only use words you already know from hiragana, katakana and the beginner level.

This lesson assumes what you saw in the earlier ones. If something feels shaky, go back to it:

• G01build sentences with は and です
• G02ask and answer
• G03say what something is not
• G04say whose something is
• G05point at things and ask what they are
• G06say «also»
• G07say what you do
• G08say no and talk about the past
• G09say where you go
• G10say where you do something
• G11describe things and say they aren't
• G12describe with な-adjectives and before a noun
• G13say what there is and where
• G14ask and say where something is
• G15talk about what was
• G16ask politely
• G17say what is happening now
• G18say what you want to do
• G19say what you do first

What you learn

〜ませんか／〜ましょう

• ましょうlet's…

〜ませんか invites politely («why don't we…?»): えいがを みませんか. 〜ましょう suggests or accepts: みましょう («let's!»). Both attach to the ます stem.

• えいがを みませんか。eiga o mimasen ka.Shall we watch a film?
• はい、みましょう。hai, mimashou.Yes, let's watch it.
• こうえんに いきましょう。kouen ni ikimashou.Let's go to the park.
• コーヒーを のみませんか。koohii o nomimasen ka.Shall we have a coffee?
• ひるごはんを たべましょう。hirugohan o tabemashou.Let's have lunch.
• テニスを しませんか。tenisu o shimasen ka.Shall we play tennis?

Practice

A short text written only with the kana and grammar you already know. Read it and answer.