〜ましょうか mashouka

〜ましょうか（mashouka）means “shall I ~ ? / shall we ~ ?”. Adds か to 〜ましょう to ask the listener. Formation: V-ます (去ます) + ましょうか

shall I ~ ? / shall we ~ ?

N5

Formation

V-ます (去ます) + ましょうか

Explanation

Adds か to 〜ましょう to ask the listener. It either offers to do something for them ('shall I ~?') or proposes doing something together while checking their wish ('shall we ~?'). More tentative and considerate than 〜ましょう.

Examples

おもそうですね。荷物を持ちましょうか。
おもそうですね。にもつをもちましょうか。
That looks heavy. Shall I carry your bag?
そろそろ昼ですね。何か食べましょうか。
そろそろひるですね。なにかたべましょうか。
It's almost noon. Shall we eat something?

Note

'Shall I~?' offers help to the listener; 'shall we~?' includes yourself. Context tells which.

FAQ

〜ましょうか — what does it mean and how is it used?

shall I ~ ? / shall we ~ ?. Adds か to 〜ましょう to ask the listener. It either offers to do something for them ('shall I ~?') or proposes doing something together while checking their wish ('shall we ~?'). More tentative and considerate than 〜ましょう.

〜ましょうか — how do you form it?

V-ます (去ます) + ましょうか

〜ましょうか — any usage notes?

'Shall I~?' offers help to the listener; 'shall we~?' includes yourself. Context tells which.

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