Let's -(으)ㅂ시다 / -자 in Korean

In Brief

Korean chooses a “let’s” form according to the social situation. Use -(으)ㅂ시다 for a formal proposal and -자 with close friends or others with whom casual speech is appropriate. In everyday polite conversation, -(으)ㄹ까요? (“Shall we…?”) or a -요 form with 같이 (“together”) often sounds gentler and more natural.

Overview

A propositive form (a verb form that proposes a shared action) includes both the speaker and the listener: “Let’s leave,” “Let’s eat,” or “Let’s try again.” English can use the same word let’s with almost anyone. Korean makes you choose an ending that reflects formality, politeness, and your relationship with the listener.

At A2, the core contrast is straightforward. 갑시다 is a formal “Let’s go,” while 가자 is a casual “Let’s go.” Neither is a universal polite equivalent of English let’s: 갑시다 can sound official or firm, and 가자 can be rude if you have not agreed to use casual speech. A question such as 갈까요? often works better when you want to invite the other person’s opinion.

Korean normally leaves out pronouns when the meaning is clear. You do not need to add 우리 (“we/our”) every time: 시작합시다 already means “Let’s begin.” 우리 is common when it identifies the group or creates a warmer tone, as in 우리 같이 먹자 (“Let’s eat together”).

How It Works

1. Formal proposals with -(으)ㅂ시다

Start with the verb stem (the part left after removing -다 from the dictionary form), then attach -ㅂ시다 or -읍시다.

Verb-stem ending	Add	Dictionary form	Result
Vowel	-ㅂ시다	가다 (to go)	갑시다
Consonant other than ㄹ	-읍시다	먹다 (to eat)	먹읍시다
ㄹ	Drop ㄹ, then add -ㅂ시다	만들다 (to make)	만듭시다
하다	합시다	공부하다 (to study)	공부합시다

This ending belongs to formal polite speech, the style heard in presentations, organized activities, announcements, meetings, and public language. It can sound purposeful or leader-like:

• 회의를 시작합시다. — Let’s start the meeting.
• 다음 문제를 봅시다. — Let’s look at the next problem.
• 모두 힘을 합칩시다. — Let’s all join forces.

The spelling follows the same broad consonant-versus-vowel pattern as formal -ㅂ니다/습니다, but the function is different. 갑니다 states “(I/someone) goes”; 갑시다 proposes “Let’s go.”

Some irregular verbs change before -읍시다, because the ending begins with a vowel:

Dictionary form	Formal proposal	Meaning
듣다	들읍시다	Let’s listen
걷다	걸읍시다	Let’s walk
돕다	도웁시다	Let’s help

These changes belong to the verb’s regular conjugation pattern; they are not special meanings of the propositive.

2. Casual proposals with -자

Remove -다 and attach -자 directly to the stem. There is no vowel/consonant choice.

Dictionary form	Stem	Casual proposal
가다	가-	가자
먹다	먹-	먹자
하다	하-	하자
만들다	만들-	만들자
듣다	듣-	듣자

Because -자 begins with a consonant, forms such as 듣자 keep the dictionary stem rather than changing to 들-. Use -자 only in 반말 (casual, non-polite speech): typically with close friends, siblings, children, or people who have mutually established this speech level.

Tone matters. 가자! can sound enthusiastic, 이제 가자 can sound matter-of-fact, and 그만하자 can sound firm or final. The ending is casual, but it is not automatically affectionate.

3. Polite invitations with -(으)ㄹ까요?

In many conversations, Koreans phrase a shared suggestion as a question: -(으)ㄹ까요? means “Shall we…?” It invites agreement instead of presenting a settled plan.

Verb-stem ending	Form	Example
Vowel	-ㄹ까요?	갈까요? — Shall we go?
Consonant	-을까요?	먹을까요? — Shall we eat?
ㄹ	-까요? after the existing ㄹ	만들까요? — Shall we make it?

시작합시다 and 시작할까요? can both be translated as “Let’s begin,” but they differ in stance. The first announces or urges the joint action; the second checks whether the listener agrees or is ready. This makes -(으)ㄹ까요? especially useful with colleagues, new acquaintances, service staff, or anyone whose preference you want to respect.

Be aware that the same form can ask for speculation: 내일 비가 올까요? means “Do you think it will rain tomorrow?” A controllable action with a shared context, such as 우리 어디에서 만날까요?, is naturally understood as a proposal: “Where shall we meet?”

4. 같이 with a polite -요 sentence

같이 means “together.” In a suitable context, 같이 가요, 같이 먹어요, and 같이 해요 can function as friendly polite invitations: “Let’s go/eat/do it together.” Grammatically, the -아요/어요 ending can also make an ordinary statement, so context and intonation do some of the work.

You may also hear 같이 가세요 or 같이 드세요. The ending -(으)세요 is listener-oriented: literally, it invites or asks the listener to do something. With 같이, it may invite someone to join a group, but it is not a direct grammatical equivalent of “let’s.” Use 갈까요? when you clearly want to negotiate a joint plan.

5. Negative proposals

Use -지 말다 (“not do; stop doing”) before the propositive ending.

Register	Pattern	Example	Meaning
Formal	-지 맙시다	늦지 맙시다.	Let’s not be late.
Casual	-지 말자	걱정하지 말자.	Let’s not worry.
Polite, consultative	-지 않을까요?	택시를 타지 않을까요?	Why don’t we take a taxi?

The last pattern is literally framed as “Wouldn’t we…?” and can be a tactful suggestion. Beginners can rely first on -지 맙시다 and -지 말자, then learn softer question patterns through exposure.

Examples in Context

Korean	English	Note
같이 갑시다.	Let’s go together.	Formal shared proposal
회의를 시작합시다.	Let’s start the meeting.	Natural in an organized setting
잠깐 쉽시다.	Let’s take a short break.	Formal; 쉬다 → 쉽시다
안전을 위해 천천히 걸읍시다.	For safety, let’s walk slowly.	Formal; 걷다 → 걸읍시다
밥 먹자!	Let’s eat!	Casual and energetic
주말에 영화 보자.	Let’s watch a movie this weekend.	Casual plan between friends
우리 다시 해 보자.	Let’s try it again.	Casual; 우리 highlights the group
오늘은 너무 늦었어. 내일 하자.	It’s too late today. Let’s do it tomorrow.	Casual decision
이제 출발할까요?	Shall we leave now?	Polite, asks for agreement
점심으로 뭐 먹을까요?	What shall we eat for lunch?	Joint choice
여기에서 잠깐 쉴까요?	Shall we rest here for a moment?	Gentle polite suggestion
같이 사진 찍어요.	Let’s take a picture together.	Friendly polite invitation
서로 비밀로 합시다.	Let’s keep it between us.	Formal or deliberate agreement
오늘은 야근하지 말자.	Let’s not work late tonight.	Casual negative proposal
같은 실수를 반복하지 맙시다.	Let’s not repeat the same mistake.	Formal negative appeal

Common Mistakes

Using -자 with someone who expects polite speech

• Wrong: 선생님, 시작하자.
• Right: 선생님, 시작할까요?
• Why: -자 is casual speech. Addressing a teacher or another person who expects politeness this way can sound disrespectful. A polite question lets the teacher decide whether to begin.

Treating -(으)ㅂ시다 as the safest polite choice everywhere

• Awkward: 사장님, 점심 먹읍시다.
• Better: 사장님, 점심 드실까요? / 같이 점심 드실까요?
• Why: -(으)ㅂ시다 is formally polite, but it can also sound directive—as if the speaker is setting the course. When speaking upward in status, a question is usually less presumptuous. 드시다 is the honorific form of “eat.”

Choosing the wrong allomorph

An allomorph is simply a different shape of the same ending, chosen by sound.

• Wrong: 먹ㅂ시다 / 가읍시다
• Right: 먹읍시다 / 갑시다
• Why: Use -읍시다 after most consonants and -ㅂ시다 after a vowel. After ㄹ, drop ㄹ: 살다 → 삽시다, not 살읍시다.

Changing irregular stems before -자

• Wrong: 같이 듣다 → 들자
• Right: 같이 듣자.
• Why: The ㄷ change in 듣다 → 들어요/들읍시다 happens before a vowel. -자 starts with a consonant, so the stem remains 듣-.

Using a proposal for an action only the listener will perform

• Wrong meaning: 문을 엽시다 when you mean “Please open the door” and do not intend to help.
• Right: 문을 열어 주세요. / 문을 여세요.
• Why: A propositive includes the speaker in the proposed action. Use a request or command when the listener alone should act.

Translating every English “let’s” with one ending

• Risky habit: using -자 with everyone, or -(으)ㅂ시다 in every polite conversation
• Better: choose among -자, -(으)ㅂ시다, -(으)ㄹ까요?, and 같이 …-요 according to the relationship and tone.
• Why: English let’s does not encode speech level, while Korean endings do.

Usage Notes

Formal does not always mean deferential

-(으)ㅂ시다 is polite in grammatical form, but social politeness also involves who has authority to propose an action. It works naturally when a chairperson addresses a meeting, an instructor guides a class, colleagues make a collective resolution, or a public slogan urges action. Directed at a senior individual, it may sound too assertive. -(으)ㄹ까요? or an honorific question often shows more consideration.

우리 is optional—and broader than English “our”

The ending already supplies the shared-action meaning, so 우리 갑시다 and 갑시다 can both mean “Let’s go.” Add 우리 when you want to identify “our group,” contrast it with another group, or create solidarity. Korean also uses 우리 in familiar expressions where English might use “my,” but that broader use is separate from the propositive ending.

Proposals normally involve controllable actions

These endings sound most natural with actions the participants can choose to perform: going, eating, studying, waiting, or beginning. A statement about an uncontrollable event is not normally a genuine proposal. For example, 비가 올까요? asks whether it might rain; it does not mean “Let’s have it rain.”

Punctuation reflects the sentence type

갈까요? takes a question mark because it asks “Shall we go?” 갑시다. and 가자. are not grammatically questions, though an exclamation mark can show enthusiasm: 가자! In speech, intonation adds warmth, hesitation, or urgency.

Beyond the Basics / Advanced Use

You do not need to master every nuance at A2, but the following contrasts explain why subtitles and real conversations do not always match a single dictionary translation.

-도록 합시다: agreeing on a course of action

The pattern -도록 합시다 often means “Let’s make sure to…” or “Let us arrange to….” It sounds organized and is common in instructions, meetings, and plans:

• 내일까지 제출하도록 합시다. — Let’s make sure to submit it by tomorrow.
• 앞으로 시간을 잘 지키도록 합시다. — Let’s make a point of being on time from now on.

It is more procedural than a simple 제출합시다 or 시간을 지킵시다.

-기로 하자 / -기로 합시다: deciding together

-기로 하다 marks a decision to do something. With a propositive ending, it proposes settling on that decision:

• 이번에는 기차로 가기로 하자. — Let’s decide to go by train this time.
• 이 문제는 나중에 논의하기로 합시다. — Let’s agree to discuss this issue later.

This focuses on making an agreement, not immediately performing the action.

Fixed public and rhetorical uses

Formal -(으)ㅂ시다 appears often in campaigns, sermons, speeches, and written appeals: 환경을 보호합시다 (“Let’s protect the environment”). Here the audience may be large and unknown. The form creates collective purpose, but repeated use in a one-to-one chat can sound like a speech or instruction manual.

Writers and speakers can also use “let’s” rhetorically, including the audience in a line of reasoning: 이 예를 봅시다 (“Let’s look at this example”). No literal group movement is involved; the speaker guides shared attention.

A subtle difference between 같이 가요 and 갈까요?

같이 가요 presents the invitation positively and can feel warm or encouraging. 갈까요? leaves the decision more explicitly open. Depending on context, 같이 가요 may also simply mean “We go together,” so learners should listen for situation and intonation rather than assigning one fixed translation to -요.

Practice Tips

1. Build four versions of one useful verb. For each verb, say a formal proposal, casual proposal, polite question, and negative proposal: 갑시다, 가자, 갈까요?, 가지 맙시다/가지 말자. This trains both formation and register.
2. Assign each form a real social scene. Imagine a project presentation for 시작합시다, a new colleague for 시작할까요?, and a close friend for 시작하자. Memorizing the relationship is as important as memorizing the ending.
3. Listen for who is included. When watching Korean media, pause at -자, -(으)ㅂ시다, or -(으)ㄹ까요? Ask whether the speaker is proposing, deciding, politely checking, or merely speculating. Write down the relationship between the speakers.

Related Concepts

• Prerequisite: Formal Ending -ㅂ니다/습니다 — introduces the formal polite style and the stem patterns that help make -(으)ㅂ시다.