Tabemashou

Tabemashou (食べましょう) is the polite volitional form of taberu, meaning “to eat.” It expresses a proposal or invitation to eat together and is commonly translated as “let’s eat” or “shall we eat?”

Formally, tabemashou is produced from the polite non-past form tabemasu by replacing the final -masu with -mashou, yielding tabe-mashou. It is used to include the speaker and the listener in the action, with the implied subject being “we.”

Usage wise, tabemashou functions as a straightforward invitation or suggestion. It can stand alone as a declaration that a meal should begin, or be turned into a question with tabemashou ka? meaning “Shall we eat?” It is suitable in everyday conversations with friends, family, or colleagues, and in most social contexts where polite language is expected. It may be accompanied by specifics about what to eat, for example: 食べましょうか about what to eat together.

Variations exist: the casual form tabeyou (食べよう) is used among close friends or family. The negative or exploratory form can be tabemasen ka? or tabemasu ka? in more indirect or formal settings, though these are less common when proposing a meal.

Examples:

- もうお腹がすきました。さあ、食べましょう。 (I’m hungry now. Well, let’s eat.)

- いっしょに昼ごはんを食べましょうか。 (Shall we have lunch together?)

- 皆でピザを食べましょう。 (Let's all eat pizza together.)