Suggestion Endings | Korean Grammar Documentation

Suggestion endings (청유형 종결어미) are used to make proposals, suggestions, or invite someone to do something together. These endings express "Let's..." or "Shall we...?" in Korean.

Main Suggestion Patterns

Korean has several ways to suggest activities, each with different levels of formality and nuance:

-(으)ㄹ까요? - Shall we...? (asking opinion)
-(으)ㅂ시다 - Let's... (formal proposal)
-아/어요 - Let's... (standard polite)
-자 - Let's... (casual)
-(으)ㄹ래요? - Do you want to...? (informal suggestion)

-(으)ㄹ까요? (Shall we...?)

Most Common Polite Suggestion

Asking for opinion or agreement:

Formation Rules

After Vowels: -ㄹ까요?

Add -ㄹ까요 when stem ends in vowel:

가다 → 갈까요? (Shall we go?)
하다 → 할까요? (Shall we do?)
오다 → 올까요? (Shall [I/we] come?)
보다 → 볼까요? (Shall we watch/see?)
주다 → 줄까요? (Shall I give?)

After Consonants: -을까요?

Add -을까요 when stem ends in consonant:

먹다 → 먹을까요? (Shall we eat?)
읽다 → 읽을까요? (Shall we read?)
입다 → 입을까요? (Shall we wear?)
만들다 → 만들까요? (Shall we make?)
듣다 → 들을까요? (Shall we listen?)

ㄹ Irregular

Stems ending in ㄹ drop the ㄹ:

만들다 → 만들까요? (Shall we make?)
살다 → 살까요? (Shall we live/buy?)
알다 → 알까요? (Shall we know?)

Usage

Asking for agreement or opinion:

커피 마실까요? (Shall we drink coffee?)
영화 볼까요? (Shall we watch a movie?)
같이 갈까요? (Shall we go together?)
여기서 먹을까요? (Shall we eat here?)
시작할까요? (Shall we start?)

Polite and common in daily conversation

Nuance

Difference from command:

-(으)ㄹ까요? = Asking for opinion (Shall we...?)
-(으)세요 = Telling/requesting (Please...)

Asking What to Do

When unsure:

뭐 할까요? (What shall we do?)
어디 갈까요? (Where shall we go?)
언제 만날까요? (When shall we meet?)
어떻게 할까요? (How shall we do it?)

-(으)ㅂ시다 (Let's... - Formal)

Formal Proposal

Making a formal suggestion or proposal:

Formation Rules

After Vowels: -ㅂ시다

Add -ㅂ시다 when stem ends in vowel:

가다 → 갑시다 (Let's go)
하다 → 합시다 (Let's do)
오다 → 옵시다 (Let's come)
배우다 → 배웁시다 (Let's learn)

After Consonants: -읍시다

Add -읍시다 when stem ends in consonant:

먹다 → 먹읍시다 (Let's eat)
읽다 → 읽읍시다 (Let's read)
입다 → 입읍시다 (Let's wear)
만들다 → 만듭시다 (Let's make)

Usage

Formal settings:

시작합시다 (Let's start)
열심히 공부합시다 (Let's study hard)
함께 노력합시다 (Let's work hard together)
건배합시다 (Let's toast)
박수칩시다 (Let's clap)

Common in: Speeches, presentations, formal meetings, group activities

Tone

More declarative than -(으)ㄹ까요?:

-(으)ㅂ시다 = Let's do this (proposal)
-(으)ㄹ까요? = Shall we do this? (asking)

-아/어요 (Let's... - Polite)

Standard Polite Suggestion

Same form as polite statement, context indicates suggestion:

Formation Rules

Same as Statement Form

Vowel harmony like statements:

가다 → 가요 (Let's go)
먹다 → 먹어요 (Let's eat)
하다 → 해요 (Let's do)
보다 → 봐요 (Let's watch)
만나다 → 만나요 (Let's meet)

Usage

Common in conversation:

같이 가요 (Let's go together)
밥 먹어요 (Let's eat)
영화 봐요 (Let's watch a movie)
내일 만나요 (Let's meet tomorrow)
시작해요 (Let's start)

Natural and frequently used

Context is Key

Distinguish from statement by context:

가요 (I'm going - statement) vs 가요 (Let's go - suggestion)
Often clear from conversation or adding 같이 (together)

Adding 같이

Making suggestion clearer:

같이 가요 (Let's go together)
같이 먹어요 (Let's eat together)
같이 공부해요 (Let's study together)

-자 (Let's... - Casual)

Casual Suggestion Among Friends

Informal but friendly:

Formation Rules

Add -자 to verb stem

Works with all verbs:

가다 → 가자 (Let's go)
먹다 → 먹자 (Let's eat)
하다 → 하자 (Let's do)
보다 → 보자 (Let's watch)
놀다 → 놀자 (Let's play)
자다 → 자자 (Let's sleep)

Usage

Common among friends:

영화 보자 (Let's watch a movie)
같이 가자 (Let's go together)
공부하자 (Let's study)
운동하자 (Let's exercise)
놀자! (Let's hang out!)

Friendly and direct

Variations

-자고 하다 (Suggest that...)

Reporting suggestions:

친구가 영화 보자고 해요 (My friend suggests watching a movie)
같이 가자고 했어요 (I suggested going together)

-(으)ㄹ래요? (Do you want to...?)

Asking About Desire

More casual suggestion:

Formation Rules

After Vowels: -ㄹ래요?

Add -ㄹ래요 when stem ends in vowel:

가다 → 갈래요? (Do you want to go?)
하다 → 할래요? (Do you want to do?)
보다 → 볼래요? (Do you want to watch?)

After Consonants: -을래요?

Add -을래요 when stem ends in consonant:

먹다 → 먹을래요? (Do you want to eat?)
읽다 → 읽을래요? (Do you want to read?)

Usage

Asking if someone wants to join:

같이 갈래요? (Do you want to go together?)
커피 마실래요? (Do you want to drink coffee?)
영화 볼래요? (Do you want to watch a movie?)

More informal than -(으)ㄹ까요?

Answering

Positive:

응, 갈래 (Yeah, I want to go)
좋아! (Good!)

Negative:

아니, 괜찮아 (No, I'm okay)
다음에 (Next time)

-고 싶어요? (Do you want to...?)

Asking About Wishes

Polite question about desires:

Formation

Verb + -고 싶어요?:

가고 싶어요? (Do you want to go?)
먹고 싶어요? (Do you want to eat?)
보고 싶어요? (Do you want to see?)
만나고 싶어요? (Do you want to meet?)

Usage

Softer than direct suggestion:

영화 보고 싶어요? (Do you want to watch a movie?)
같이 가고 싶어요? (Do you want to go together?)

Can be used to suggest indirectly

Negative Suggestions

-(으)ㄹ까요? Negative

Shall we not...?:

안 갈까요? (Shall we not go?)
안 먹을까요? (Shall we not eat?)
하지 말까요? (Shall we not do it?)

-지 말까요? (Shall we not...?)

Suggesting not to do something:

가지 말까요? (Shall we not go?)
하지 말까요? (Shall we not do it?)

Less common than positive suggestions

Responding to Suggestions

Agreeing

Positive responses:

네, 좋아요 (Yes, good)
그래요 (Okay/Sure)
좋은 생각이에요 (Good idea)
그럽시다 (Let's do that - formal)
그래 (Okay - casual)
응 (Yeah - casual)

Declining Politely

Negative responses:

죄송하지만... (Sorry but...)
다음에 해요 (Let's do it next time)
오늘은 좀... (Today is a bit...)
미안해, 못 갈 것 같아 (Sorry, I don't think I can go)

Suggesting Alternatives

Counterproposals:

내일 할까요? (Shall we do it tomorrow?)
다른 것 볼까요? (Shall we watch something else?)
여기 말고 저기 갈까요? (Shall we go there instead of here?)

Example Sentences

-(으)ㄹ까요? (Shall we...?)

점심 먹을까요? (Shall we have lunch?)
커피 마실까요? (Shall we drink coffee?)
같이 갈까요? (Shall we go together?)
내일 만날까요? (Shall we meet tomorrow?)
영화 볼까요? (Shall we watch a movie?)
여기 앉을까요? (Shall we sit here?)

-(으)ㅂ시다 (Let's - Formal)

회의를 시작합시다 (Let's start the meeting)
열심히 공부합시다 (Let's study hard)
함께 노력합시다 (Let's work hard together)
박수칩시다 (Let's applaud)
건배합시다 (Let's toast)

-아/어요 (Let's - Polite)

같이 가요 (Let's go together)
밥 먹어요 (Let's eat)
공부해요 (Let's study)
내일 만나요 (Let's meet tomorrow)
영화 봐요 (Let's watch a movie)

-자 (Let's - Casual)

놀자! (Let's hang out!)
게임하자 (Let's play games)
영화 보자 (Let's watch a movie)
같이 가자 (Let's go together)
공부하자 (Let's study)

-(으)ㄹ래요? (Do you want to...?)

같이 갈래요? (Do you want to go together?)
커피 마실래요? (Do you want to drink coffee?)
영화 볼래요? (Do you want to watch a movie?)
점심 먹을래요? (Do you want to eat lunch?)

Example Dialogues

Dialogue 1: Making Plans (Polite)

A: 주말에 뭐 할까요?
(What shall we do on the weekend?)

B: 영화 볼까요?
(Shall we watch a movie?)

A: 좋아요! 무슨 영화 볼까요?
(Good! What movie shall we watch?)

B: 새로 나온 액션 영화 어때요?
(How about the newly released action movie?)

A: 그럽시다!
(Let's do that!)

Dialogue 2: At Restaurant (Polite)

A: 뭐 먹을까요?
(What shall we eat?)

B: 불고기 어때요?
(How about bulgogi?)

A: 좋아요. 김치찌개도 시킬까요?
(Good. Shall we also order kimchi stew?)

B: 네, 그래요.
(Yes, let's do that.)

Dialogue 3: Friends (Casual)

A: 내일 뭐 할까?
(What shall we do tomorrow?)

B: 노래방 가자!
(Let's go to karaoke!)

A: 좋아! 몇 시에 갈까?
(Good! What time shall we go?)

B: 저녁 7시에 만나자.
(Let's meet at 7 PM.)

A: 응, 그래!
(Yeah, okay!)

Dialogue 4: Formal Meeting

Speaker: 이제 회의를 시작합시다.
(Let's start the meeting now.)

Speaker: 먼저 지난주 결과를 검토합시다.
(First, let's review last week's results.)

Speaker: 다음 프로젝트에 대해 논의합시다.
(Let's discuss the next project.)

Dialogue 5: Suggesting Activity

A: 오늘 날씨가 좋네요. 산책할래요?
(The weather is nice today. Do you want to take a walk?)

B: 좋아요! 어디로 갈까요?
(Good! Where shall we go?)

A: 공원에 가요.
(Let's go to the park.)

B: 그래요. 같이 가요!
(Okay. Let's go together!)

Comparing Suggestion Forms

Formality Spectrum

From most to least formal:

-(으)ㅡ시다 (Let's - formal proposal)
-(으)ㄹ까요? (Shall we - polite question)
-아/어요 (Let's - standard polite)
-(으)ㄹ래요? (Want to - informal)
-자 (Let's - casual)

Nuance Differences

-(으)ㄹ까요? vs -(으)ㅂ시다:

-(으)ㄹ까요? = Asking for opinion (more open)
-(으)ㅂ시다 = Proposing action (more declarative)

-아/어요 vs -자:

-아/어요 = Polite with anyone
-자 = Only with close friends

-(으)ㄹ까요? vs -(으)ㄹ래요?:

-(으)ㄹ까요? = Shall we (more polite)
-(으)ㄹ래요? = Do you want to (more casual)

Special Patterns

-(으)ㄹ까 하다 (Thinking of doing)

Expressing consideration:

갈까 해요 (I'm thinking of going)
먹을까 해요 (I'm thinking of eating)
시작할까 해요 (I'm thinking of starting)

Not quite a suggestion, more like contemplation

-지 (Question tag)

Confirming together:

가지, 그렇지? (Let's go, right?)
같이 하지? (Let's do it together, okay?)

Casual and assumes agreement

Common Mistakes

❌ Incorrect: 갈까요시다

Mixing patterns

✅ Correct: 갈까요? OR 갑시다

Use one pattern

❌ Incorrect: 먹읍니까?

Wrong ending (that's a question)

✅ Correct: 먹읍시다 OR 먹을까요?

Use suggestion ending

❌ Rude: Using -자 with strangers or elders

Inappropriate casualness

✅ Correct: Use -(으)ㄹ까요? or -(으)ㅂ시다

Match formality to relationship

❌ Incorrect: 하기를 합시다

Wrong nominalization

✅ Correct: 합시다

Direct suggestion ending

Summary Table: Suggestion Forms

Form	Formality	Example	Meaning
-(으)ㅂ시다	Formal	갑시다	Let's go (formal)
-(으)ㄹ까요?	Polite	갈까요?	Shall we go?
-아/어요	Standard	가요	Let's go
-(으)ㄹ래요?	Informal	갈래요?	Want to go?
-자	Casual	가자	Let's go (casual)

Formation Summary

Ending	After Vowel	After Consonant	하다
-(으)ㅂ시다	-ㅂ시다	-읍시다	합시다
-(으)ㄹ까요	-ㄹ까요	-을까요	할까요
-아/어요	-아/어요	-아/어요	해요
-자	-자	-자	하자

Key Takeaways

✅ Most common polite: -(으)ㄹ까요? (Shall we...?)
✅ Formal proposal: -(으)ㅂ시다 (Let's... - formal)
✅ Natural polite: -아/어요 (Let's... - standard)
✅ Casual friends: -자 (Let's... - informal)
✅ Asking desire: -(으)ㄹ래요? (Want to...?)
✅ -(으)ㄹ까요? asks opinion: More open than -(으)ㅂ시다
✅ Match formality: Choose based on relationship
✅ Common responses: 좋아요 (agree), 다음에 (decline)

Mastering suggestion endings is essential for social interaction in Korean. Start with -(으)ㄹ까요? for polite situations and -자 for close friends. These endings help you make plans, invite others, and propose activities naturally!