Inviting Someone in Japanese - Learn

Learn to invite someone to do something in Japanese

Dialogue

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Lesson Transcript

Do you know how to invite someone to do something in Japanese?

You'll learn how in just a moment.

Hi, my name is Emiri, and this is Three Step Japanese by JapanesePod101.com.

In this lesson, you'll learn how to invite someone to do something through a quick conversation.

Let's look at the dialogue.

As you listen, pay attention to how they ask about the topic and how the other person responds.

わあ、いいへやですね｡ひろいです｡そして、ながめもすばらしいです｡

Wā, ii heya desu ne. Hiroi desu. Soshite, nagame mo subarashii desu.

さっそく、おんせんにいきましょう｡

Sassoku, onsen ni ikimashō.

え！すこしやすみませんか｡へやでゆっくりしましょう｡

E! Sukoshi yasumimasen ka. Heya de yukkuri shimashō.

いいえ、まず、おんせんにいきましょう｡

Iie, mazu, onsen ni ikimashō.

Let's break it down.

わあ、いいへやですね｡ひろいです｡そして、ながめもすばらしいです｡

Wā, ii heya desu ne. Hiroi desu. Soshite, nagame mo subarashii desu.

Wow, this is a nice room. It’s spacious. And the view is wonderful too.

さっそく、おんせんにいきましょう｡

Sassoku, onsen ni ikimashō.

Let’s head to the hot spring right away.

え！すこしやすみませんか｡

E! Sukoshi yasumimasen ka.

Huh? How about resting for a bit?

へやでゆっくりしましょう｡

Heya de yukkuri shimashō.

First is the word, へや (heya), meaning "room." へや

Next is で (de), the location-marking particle.

Together, it's へやで (heya de). "In the room." へやで.

Next is ゆっくり (yukkuri). In this sentence, it means something similar to "relax". ゆっくり

This is followed by しましょう (shimashō). This is our focus for the lesson. By using the "ましょう (mashō)" ending for "します (shimasu)", which means "to do", it becomes "let's do." So, ゆっくりしましょう means something like "let's relax."

If you translate it literally, it would be something like "let's do some relaxing."

All together, it's へやでゆっくりしましょう｡ (heya de yukkuri shimashō). "Let's relax in the room."

The response is…

いいえ、まず、おんせんにいきましょう｡

Iie, mazu, onsen ni ikimashō.

No, let’s go to the hot spring first.

This sentence also uses the lesson focus.

First is おんせんに (onsen ni), meaning "to the hot spring." おんせんに.

Then is いきましょう (ikimashō), meaning "let's go." Again, we use the "ましょう (mashō)" form here to turn "to go" into "let's go." So, it's "let's go to the hot spring."

Let's look at the sentence pattern.

This pattern is the structure that all of our examples will follow:

[Masu stem]ましょう

([Masu stem]mashō)

Let’s [Verb].

This sentence pattern is used to propose or suggest doing something together in Japanese. It is a polite and friendly way to invite someone to join in an action.

Let’s break it down:

First, you take a verb in its ます (masu) form, which is the polite present/future tense form of the verb. Then, you remove the ます (masu) ending, leaving only the verb stem. Finally, you attach ましょう (mashō) to the stem.

This ましょう (mashō) structure means "Let’s [Verb]" and implies a suggestion or invitation to do something together.

For an example, let’s see how a line from the dialogue follows this pattern:

へやでゆっくりしましょう｡

(Heya de yukkuri shimashō.)

"Let’s relax in the room."

In this sentence:

Here, する (suru) is the base verb meaning "to do." Its polite ます (masu) form is します (shimasu). Removing ます (masu) gives the stem し (shi), and adding ましょう (mashō) results in しましょう (shimashō), meaning "Let’s do."

So, へやでゆっくりしましょう translates to "Let’s relax in the room," following the [Masu stem] ましょう pattern.

Now you can use this pattern to politely suggest activities in Japanese!

Now let's look at some speaking examples.

たんじょうびのパーティーをしましょう｡ (Tanjōbi no pātī o shimashō.)

Let’s have a birthday party.

Can you see how the pattern applies here?

Let's break it down:

The verb する, meaning "to do," is used here. Its polite ます (masu) form is します (shimasu). To create the [Masu stem] ましょう pattern, we remove the ます from します, leaving the stem し (shi). Then, we attach ましょう (mashō) to the stem, forming しましょう, which means "Let’s do."

So, in the full sentence, しましょう fits the pattern [Masu stem] ましょう, meaning "Let’s do," and the entire sentence たんじょうびのパーティーをしましょう translates to "Let’s have a birthday party." Literally, this would mean "Let's do a birthday party," but "Let's have" is the more natural translation.

By understanding this pattern, you can create polite and friendly suggestions in Japanese!

Here's another example

12じにランチをたべましょう｡ (Jū-ni ji ni ranchi o tabemashō.)

Let’s eat lunch at 12 o’clock.

12じにランチをたべましょう｡ (Jū-ni ji ni ranchi o tabemashō.)

Let’s eat lunch at 12 o’clock.

Let's try one more,

へやのそうじをしましょう｡ (Heya no sōji o shimashō.)

Let’s clean the room.

へやのそうじをしましょう｡ (Heya no sōji o shimashō.)

Let’s clean the room.

Another one.

もう 5じですね｡ばんごはんをつくりましょう｡ (Mō go-ji desu ne. Bangohan o tsukurimashō.)

It’s already 5 o’clock. Let’s make dinner.

もう 5じですね｡ばんごはんをつくりましょう｡ (Mō go-ji desu ne. Bangohan o tsukurimashō.)

It’s already 5 o’clock. Let’s make dinner.

Let's review.

Do you remember how to say "room"?

へや (heya)

And what the location particle is?

で (de)

Do you remember how to say "in the room"?

へやで (heya de)

And how to say "relax"?

ゆっくり (yukkuri)

What about "let’s do…"?

しましょう (shimashou)

And how to say "let's relax in the room."?

へやでゆっくりしましょう｡ (Heya de yukkuri shimashō.)

Do you remember how to say "movement particle"?

に (ni)

And how to say "let's go"?

いきましょう (ikimashō)

Do you remember how to say "let's go to the hot spring."?

おんせんにいきましょう (Onsen ni ikimashō.)

Now you know how to invite someone in Japanese.

...and you can move on to the practice.

またね (mata ne)!

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