-(으)ㅂ시다

Build it

When to use it

A stem ending in a vowel takes -ㅂ시다 and the ㅂ tucks into the syllable: 가 becomes 갑시다. A consonant stem takes -읍시다: 먹 becomes 먹읍시다. Stems ending in ㄹ drop it: 만들다 gives 만듭시다.

The register is the part worth learning carefully. -(으)ㅂ시다 suits equals and people junior to you, and it fits meetings and announcements. Said to a teacher or a boss it sounds like an instruction, so Korean substitutes -(으)시죠 or turns it into a question with -(으)ㄹ까요?

Among close friends the casual form is -자: 같이 가자. And because it proposes an action, it takes action verbs only.

How to attach it

In use

1. 이제 시작합시다.

   Let’s begin.

2. 다 같이 노력합시다.

   Let’s all make an effort.

3. 여기서 좀 쉽시다.

   Let’s take a break here.

4. 그 이야기는 나중에 합시다.

   Let’s talk about that later.

5. 늦지 맙시다.

   Let’s not be late.

6. 조용히 합시다.

   Let’s keep quiet.

Compared with

• -(으)ㄹ까요?

  -(으)ㅂ시다 decides; -(으)ㄹ까요? asks. The question form leaves room for the other person to decline, which makes it the safer opener.

  밥 먹읍시다. (we’re eating)  /  밥 먹을까요? (shall we eat?)

• -(으)시죠

  The form to use with someone senior. It carries the honorific -(으)시- and softens the proposal into an invitation.

  부장님, 이쪽으로 가시죠.  /  not 부장님, 이쪽으로 갑시다

• -자

  The casual equivalent, for close friends and people clearly younger. Mixing it with polite endings elsewhere in the sentence sounds odd.

  같이 가자. (friends)  /  같이 갑시다. (colleagues)

Watch out

• 선생님, 같이 점심 먹읍시다.

  선생님, 같이 점심 드실까요?

  -(으)ㅂ시다 sounds like an instruction when aimed upward. With someone senior, ask with -(으)ㄹ까요? or -(으)시죠.

• 저녁을 만들읍시다.

  저녁을 만듭시다.

  Stems ending in ㄹ drop it, as they do before -ㅂ니다 and -(으)세요.

• 오늘은 날씨가 좋읍시다.

  오늘은 날씨가 좋으면 좋겠어요.

  You can propose an action but not a state. Adjectives cannot take this ending.

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