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Won't you? / Would you like to?
Definition
The grammar pattern 〜ませんか is a polite invitation form used to invite someone to do something together. It is softer and more polite than the pattern ましょう because it gives the listener room to decline. This pattern is often used in casual conversations to invite someone to participate in an activity, such as going to a movie or having a cup of tea. When using this pattern, the speaker is not necessarily offering to help, but rather inviting the listener to join in on the activity.
Structure
| Form | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Negative Polite Form | ~ます + か | 行きませんか |
| Negative Polite Form of Irregular Verbs | Verb stem + ませんか | 行かせませんか |
| Negative Polite Form of Verbs ending in ます | Verb stem + ませんか | 行きませんか |
Examples
今度の土曜日に映画をみませんか。
Konnoda no doyoubi ni eiga o mimasenka.
Would you like to see a movie this Saturday?
今度の土曜日に映画をみませんか。 (Would you like to see a movie this Saturday?)
一緒にお茶を飲みませんか。
Issho ni o-cha o nomimasenka.
Would you like to have a cup of tea together?
一緒にお茶を飲みませんか。 (Would you like to have a cup of tea together?)
天気がいいですね。公園を散歩しませんか。
Tenki ga ii desu ne. Kōen o hanasu shimase'nka.
The weather is nice, don't you want to take a walk in the park?
天気がいいですね。公園を散歩しませんか。 (The weather is nice, don't you want to take a walk in the park?)
明日は雨が降りそうですね。傘を持って行きませんか。
Ashita wa ame ga furisō desu ne. Kasa o motsu to iku'n desu ka.
It looks like it's going to rain tomorrow, would you like to bring an umbrella?
明日は雨が降りそうですね。傘を持って行きませんか。 (It looks like it's going to rain tomorrow, would you like to bring an umbrella?)
Context
The pattern 〜ませんか is used to invite someone to participate in an activity, and is softer and more polite than the pattern ましょう. It is often used in casual conversations, and is a good way to invite someone to join in on an activity without being too pushy. The speaker is not necessarily offering to help, but rather inviting the listener to join in on the activity.
Watch out
Many learners confuse the two patterns, but they have different meanings and uses. ませんか is used to invite someone to participate in an activity, while ましょうか is used to offer to help someone with a task.
Many learners read ませんか as a literal negative question, but it is actually an invitation to participate in an activity. The speaker is not asking if the listener does not want to do something, but rather inviting them to join in on the activity.
Many learners use ませんか with a negative verb, but this is incorrect. The pattern ませんか is used with a positive verb to invite someone to participate in an activity.
Strategy
When taking the JLPT, be careful not to confuse ませんか with ましょうか. Also, make sure to use the correct verb form when using the pattern ませんか. Finally, be careful not to read ませんか as a literal negative question.
In context
Worked examples drawn from JLPT N5 test-style questions. Each sentence shows 〜ませんか used correctly, with a brief note on what the pattern is doing.
今度の土曜日に映画を見ませんか。
Pattern used: 見ませんか
The speaker is inviting someone to watch a movie together. 〜ませんか is a polite invitation ('won't you watch?').
一緒にお茶を飲みませんか。
Pattern used: 飲みませんか
一緒に (together) with 〜ませんか forms a polite invitation to have tea. ましょうか would be offering to get tea for the listener.
天気がいいですね。公園を散歩しませんか。
Pattern used: 散歩しませんか
Noting the nice weather, the speaker politely invites the listener to walk together. 〜ませんか is softer than 〜ましょう.
Interactive
今度の土曜日に映画を______。
Adaptive practice
Our adaptive engine will quiz you on this grammar pattern and track your progress toward mastery.