modality N5 essential polite teineigo (polite)
ましょう — let's ~ (polite volitional)
ましょう
Builds on 連用形（ます形）
Meaning
- let's ~ — a polite suggestion to do something together
- I'll ~ — offering to do something
Key sentence
一緒に行きましょう。
Let's go together.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb (ます-stem) | V-ます → V-ましょう | 食べます → 食べましょう / 行きます → 行きましょう |
When: Polite; the plain-form equivalent is the volitional (行こう, 食べよう).
Examples
そろそろ始めましょう。
Let's get started.
また会いましょう。
Let's meet again.
重そうですね。手伝いましょう。
That looks heavy. I'll help you.
Easily confused with
See ましょう in real sentences
Jengo shows ましょう the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar.