〜しませんか
~shimasen ka
To ask would you like to? In Japanese, attach 〜しませんか (~shimasen ka) to a verb. It is a polite invitation to do something together.
This ending makes an invitation that leaves room for the other person to decline, which is why it sounds polite. It literally means won't you do this.
Which one should you use?
〜しませんか is a polite invitation, while 〜しましょう (~shimashō) is a more direct suggestion meaning let's do it. どうですか？ can also suggest an idea or offer help. With friends, short questions such as 一緒にどう？ (how about together?) or 何か飲みに行く？ (wanna go grab a drink?) are common.
How does it change in a sentence?
Attach the ending to the stem of a verb, which is the part left after removing the polite ending ます.
How do you pronounce it?
Say ~shimasen ka with a light rising tone on the final ka, as for a question.
When do people say it?
To accept, people often say はい、ぜひ！ (Hai, zehi!), meaning yes, I would love to or はい、お願いします for yes, please. To decline politely, Japanese speakers often say すみません、ちょっと… (Sumimasen, chotto…), trailing off rather than giving a flat no. 今回は結構です means not this time.
Did you know?
- While 〜しませんか is the standard invitation, using it too frequently with very close friends can accidentally make you sound cold or distant.
- In professional settings, a superior might use the more direct 〜しましょう to an inferior, effectively turning a 'suggestion' into a polite command.
- When declining an invitation using ちょっと, the speaker often makes a small, apologetic gesture by tilting their head or slightly bowing while trailing off.
Examples in context
- ご興味がありますか？展示会にいかがですか？Would you like to visit the exhibition?
- 今週末にご一緒にいかがですか？Would you like to go together this weekend?
- 昼食にどうですか？How about having lunch together?
- 公園で散歩でも一緒にどう？How about taking a walk together in the park?
- 今晩何か飲みに行く？Do you want to go grab a drink tonight?
