Won't you...? ~ませんか?
Why don't we study Japanese grammar?
ok. Since we have the above construction (using a negative to suggest doing something) in English, this grammar point isn't too difficult to grasp.
Construction:
1) ~masu verb - masu + masen ka
どこか行きませんか。
dokoka ikimasen ka.
Why don't we go already?
[notice I have the English as 'we.' It could be 'you' if you are angry at the person and wish him to leave...]映画を見ませんか。
eiga o mimasen ka .
Why don't we see a movie.何か飲みませんか。
nanika nomimasen ka.
Wouldn't you like to drink something?
[In this case you are asking someone individually if they would like something to drink. ]
- Printer-friendly version
- Login or register to post comments








Click to sign up

missing "ka"
Bonjour Admin,
A "ka" is missing in the translation of the first sentence.
Amicalement,
DK
Good eye. Fixed it now. :)
Good eye. Fixed it now. :) Thank you!
猿も木から落ちる
Another erratum
Construction:
1) ~masu verb - masu + mashou"
... just above the first example box. (母)
Ah, thanks! Fixed. :) I would
Ah, thanks! Fixed. :)
I would probably like it worded better as well... like "~masu verb: remove ~masu and add ~masen ka"?
Seems like it would be less confusing to me.
猿も木から落ちる
Dokoka
But dokoka means 'somewhere', right?
I believe you might also be
I believe you might also be able to say the sentence as "Why don't we go somewhere?" or "Why don't you go somewhere?" or "Aren't you going somewhere?" etc.
猿も木から落ちる
Let's go somewhere
> notice I have the English as 'we.' It could be 'you' if you are angry at the person and wish him to leave...
Nah. If I get angry at someone, I would say "どこか行けば?", "どこか行ったら?", "どっか行きな", or something.
どこか行きませんか is too polite to use in such situation.
To me it sounds like "Let's go somewhere for a drink" (^o^).