Let's-

The pattern -자 is attached to a verb stem to make a suggestion, similar to "Let's..." in English. It's a propositive ending, used when the speaker wants to do an activity together with the listener.

Formation

It's very simple to form. Just attach -자 directly to the verb stem, regardless of whether it ends in a vowel or a consonant.

Vowel stem: 가다 (to go) → 가 + 자 → 가자 (Let's go)

Consonant stem: 먹다 (to eat) → 먹 + 자 → 먹자 (Let's eat)

하다 verbs: 청소하다 (to clean) → 청소하 + 자 → 청소하자 (Let's clean)

Usage

This pattern is informal and is used with close friends, people of the same age, or people who are younger than you. It implies a sense of closeness and equality.

Negative Form

To suggest not doing something, use the pattern -지 말자.

싸우다 (to fight) → 싸우지 말자 (Let's not fight)

일단 먹고 보자. / 빨리 도망치자. / 싸우지 말고 사이좋게 지내자. / 내일 만나자.

The -자 pattern often appears with other words that help frame the suggestion.

일단 (For now / First)

일단 is used to suggest prioritizing one action before dealing with anything else. It adds a sense of "Let's just do this first and worry about the rest later."

Example: 일단 먹고 보자. (Let's just eat for now and see.)

~부터 (Starting with...)

Adding ~부터 to a noun emphasizes that this action should be the starting point.

Example: 일단 잠부터 자자. (Let's get some sleep first.)

우리 (We / Us)

While not always necessary, adding 우리 at the beginning clarifies that the suggestion is for the group, strengthening the "us" in "Let's..."

Example: 우리 그만 헤어지자. (Let's we break up.)

일단 먹고 보자. / 일단 잠부터 자자. / 우리 그만 헤어지자. / 빨리 하자.