ましょうか and ようか for offers, たらどう and てはどう for suggestions, でも for 'how about something like', and how to ask 'what shall we do?' without sounding pushy.
About 4 minutes to read
Offering: ましょうか
Polite stem + ましょうか = "shall I...?". It's an offer to do something for the other person.
荷物luggageを持ちcarryましょうかshall I
Shall I carry your luggage?
窓windowを開けopenましょうかshall I
Shall I open the window?
The answer is お願いします (please do) or 大丈夫です (it's fine, no need).
Casual: volitional + か. 持とうか？ 開けようか？
手伝ってhelpあげようかshall I
Want me to help?
Shall we? ましょうか with a group
The same form, with "we" implied, becomes "shall we?":
そろそろ帰りgo homeましょうかshall we
Shall we head home?
何whatを食べeatましょうかshall we
What shall we eat?
Inviting: ませんか
A reminder. ませんか invites, gently: "Won't you...?"
一緒togetherに行きgoませんかwon't you
Won't you come with me?
Suggesting: たらどう
Past form + らどう(ですか) = "how about doing...?", more direct than an invitation.
病院hospitalに行ったgoらどうhow aboutですか
Why don't you go to the hospital?
少しa little休んだrestらどうhow about
Why not rest a bit?
て-form + はどう is similar and softer:
先生teacherに聞いてaskはどうhow aboutですか
How about asking the teacher?
Noun + は どう
For a noun, は どう (ですか) = "how about...?":
コーヒーはどうhow aboutですか
How about some coffee?
明日tomorrowはどうhow about
How about tomorrow?
Use にしましょう / にしよう to pick one:
じゃあラーメンにしようlet's go with
Okay, let's go with ramen.
Suggestion with でも
Noun + でも = "something like... maybe".
お茶teaでもor something飲みdrinkませんか
Shall we have some tea or something?
It softens the suggestion: not necessarily tea, but something of that sort.
Advice: ばいい / といい / ほうがいい
ば-form + いい or たらいい = "it would be good if you...":
先生teacherに聞けaskばいいshould
You should just ask the teacher.
早くearly寝るsleepといいit'd be good
You'd better sleep early.
ほうがいい (earlier lesson) is a stronger "had better".
"What shall we do?"
Open questions:
どうしましょうか — What shall we do?
どうすればいいですか — What should I do?
どうしたらいいでしょうか — What should I do (I wonder)?
何にしますか — What will you have?
どうすればwhat to doいいですか
What should I do?
Longer sentences
Offers and suggestions chain naturally in a conversation. Read the exchange as a dialogue.
重そうですねlooks heavy、荷物をluggage持ちましょうかshall I carry
ありがとうございますthank youでもbut大丈夫ですit's fineすぐそこですからit's just over there, so
それならin that case、代わりにinsteadお茶でもtea or something飲みませんかwon't you drink
いいですねgood、近くにnearbyいいgoodカフェがcaféあるのでsince there isそこにthereしましょうlet's choose
You look weighed down. Shall I carry your luggage?
Thank you, but it's all right. It's just over there.
In that case, how about having some tea or something instead?
Sounds good. There's a nice café nearby, so let's go there.
疲れているならif you're tired少しa little休んでみてはhow about trying to restどうですかhow is it
無理してforcing yourself倒れたらif you collapse大変ですからit'd be terrible今日はtoday早くearly帰ったwent homeほうがいいですよhad better
If you're tired, why not try resting a little? It would be terrible if you pushed yourself and collapsed, so you'd better go home early today.
Key points
ましょうか: "shall I / shall we". ませんか: "won't you?"
たらどう / てはどう: "how about doing".
Noun + は どう / でも: "how about / something like".
ばいい / といい: advice.
Drill these patterns
Short example sentences for the points in this lesson: