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Making suggestions

How to make suggestions in Korean?

In Korean there are several ways to make suggestions, many depend on how polite you want to be.

Saying let's

Section titled “Saying let's”

Saying let's is suggesting that someone else does something together with you.

For acquaintances and in non-formal situations you can use the adverb 같이 (together) with the present tense 요 form: 같이 + 요 Form

같이 가요

Let's go (together).

같이 밥 먹어요

Let's eat (together).

Saying shall we

Section titled “Saying shall we”

Another common way to make a suggestion is by asking Shall we? or Shall I?.

Verb Stem + (을/ㄹ)까요

  1. Get the verb stem.
  2. Depending on the ending:
    • If it ends in a consonant: Attach 을까요.
    • If it ends in a vowel: Attach ㄹ까요.
    • However, if it ends in a ㄹ: Attach 까요.
    • However, for ㅂ-irregular verbs: Remove ㅂ, then attach 우, then ㄹ 까요.

Example sentences:

어디 갈까요?

Where shall we go?

과일을 먹을까요?

Shall we eat fruit?

뭘 만들까요?

What shall we make?

Honorific let's

Section titled “Honorific let's”

When making a suggestion to someone else you are also talking about them, it’s like saying (We) do (verb) together.

For situations where you want to be extra polite and would use honorific speech, you can combine the honorific ending (으시다) with Shall we?. Because you are suggesting doing something together, you are also talking about the other person’s actions, making honorifics appropriate.

같이 식사하러 가실까요?

Shall we go eat a meal together?

Saying let's using 읍시다

Section titled “Saying let's using 읍시다”

Another way to say let’s is by using 읍시다. This grammar form is only used when a higher ranking person speaks to a lower ranking person, e.g. when a group leader speaks to the group members.

Verb Stem + (읍 / ㅂ) 시다

  1. Get the verb stem.
  2. Depending on the ending:
    • If it ends in a consonant: Attach 읍시다.
    • If it ends in a vowel: Attach ㅂ시다.
    • However, if it ends in a ㄹ: Remove ㄹ, then attach ㅂ시다.
    • However, for ㅂ-irregular verbs: Remove ㅂ, then attach 우, then ㅂ시다.

Regular ㅂ stems keep ㅂ: 입다 → 입읍시다.

Examples:

  • 먹다 → 먹읍시다
  • 가다 → 갑시다
  • 만들다 → 만듭시다
  • 돕다 → 도웁시다

Example sentences:

같이 밥을 먹읍시다.

Let's eat together.

서로 도웁시다.

Let's help each other.

The grammar for Shall I? / Shall we? (using 을까요) can also mean could or would, which will be covered in more detail in a later chapter.

Sources & References