Japatan
Formation
- Vます形 + ませんか
Explanation
This is a polite way to invite someone. It looks like a negative question, but it means 'How about doing it together?' Because it asks the other person's wishes, it sounds soft. To accept, say ええ、いいですね. To decline politely, say すみません、ちょっと….
Examples
日曜日に いっしょに 映画を 見ませんか。
Would you like to see a movie together on Sunday?
昼ごはんを いっしょに 食べませんか。
Would you like to have lunch together?
A「週末、山へ 行きませんか。」
B「すみません、週末は ちょっと…。」A: Would you like to go to the mountains this weekend? B: Sorry, this weekend is a bit…
少し 休みませんか。
Shall we take a short break?
Notes
行きますか just asks about plans; it is not really an invitation. Answering an invitation with いいえ、行きません sounds rude.
Related grammar
Mini quiz
1A「明日、いっしょに テニスを（ ）。」
B「ええ、いいですね。」
Answer and explanation
Answer: 3 しませんか
A: Would you like to play tennis together tomorrow? B: Yes, sounds good. It is about tomorrow and B accepts, so the invitation しませんか fits. The others are past forms.
2A「今晩、いっしょに 晩ごはんを 食べませんか。」
B「（ ）」
Answer and explanation
Answer: 2 ええ、いいですね。
A: Would you like to have dinner together tonight? B: Yes, sounds good. ええ、いいですね accepts the invitation. はい、食べません does not make sense, and 3 and 4 talk about the past.
3「〜ませんか」の 使い方が 正しい 文は どれですか。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 1 明日、いっしょに 映画を 見ませんか。
Would you like to see a movie together tomorrow? Invitations are about the future, so 明日 with 見ませんか is right. You cannot invite someone for yesterday, and 見るませんか is the wrong form.
