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ようではないか
N2 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today
you dewa nai ka
let’s do (something); why don’t we~
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🃏 Flashcard
ようではないか
you dewa nai ka
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let’s do (something); why don’t we~
N2
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📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level N2
Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage
Reading you dewa nai ka
Post ID 51185
Patterns today 0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes

let’s do (something); why don’t we~

📖 How to use it

This pattern is a formal, rhetorical way to suggest doing something together, similar to 'let's' but with a persuasive tone.

Attaches to Attach to the よう-form of a verb (volitional form), which is formed by replacing the final -u of the dictionary form with -ō (e.g., 行く → 行こう). Then add ではないか.

ようではないか is a literary and formal way to propose an action, often used in speeches, essays, or inspirational contexts. It carries a sense of urging or inviting a group (including the speaker) to act. In spoken Japanese, you'll almost always hear ましょう or しよう instead. The pattern is not used in casual conversation; it sounds like a rallying cry. It can be softened to ようじゃないか in slightly less formal speech, but that's still not casual. When answering or reacting, it's not a question expecting a literal answer—it's a call to action. Note that the よう here is not the same as the よう meaning 'appearance' or 'likeness'; it's the volitional form.

さあ、もう一度挑戦しようではないか。
Saa, mō ichido chōsen shiyō dewa nai ka.
Come on, let's try once more.
この機会に、将来のことを一緒に考えようではないか。
Kono kikai ni, shōrai no koto o issho ni kangaeyō dewa nai ka.
Let's take this opportunity to think about the future together.
我々はここで立ち止まるのではなく、前進しようではないか。
Wareware wa koko de tachidomaru no de wa naku, zenshin shiyō dewa nai ka.
Rather than stopping here, let's move forward.
Not ましょう (mashō) ましょう is the standard polite way to suggest doing something in conversation. ようではないか is formal and rhetorical, often used in public addresses or written appeals. Use ましょう in everyday speech.
Register Formal and literary; used in speeches, essays, or inspirational contexts, not in casual conversation.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
ようではないか
📚 How to Master This Pattern
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Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat ようではないか three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
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Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
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Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using ようではないか. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
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Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern ようではないか mean? ▼
Let’s do (something); why don’t we~
What JLPT level is ようではないか? ▼
Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N2 — Upper-Intermediate · Academic & formal usage. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use ようではないか in a sentence? ▼
Attach ようではないか (you dewa nai ka) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is ようではないか formal or casual Japanese? ▼
ようではないか is used in formal or written contexts. You will see it mainly in written texts, news, business Japanese and academic contexts.
How can I remember ようではないか long-term? ▼
Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.