Vませんか (V-masen ka) — Would you like to ...?
A polite way to invite someone.
Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)
Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)
When to use it
- To invite someone politely — "Won't you eat with me?" — add か to ません: 食べませんか.
- Nepali does the same thing with "जाने होइन?", exactly that feeling.
Meaning
It looks negative but it is a friendly invitation.
How to attach
- Remove ます, add ません, then か: 食べます ──> 食べ ──> 食べません ──> 食べませんか.
- To accept, say ええ、〜ましょう (next topic).
Examples (उदाहरणहरू)
いっしょに食べませんか。
いっしょにたべませんか。
Would you like to eat together?
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) いっしょに (together) ──> 食べます ──> [ - ❌ ます ] ──> 食べ ──> [ + ませんか ] ──> いっしょに食べませんか (why don't we eat together?).
おちゃを飲みませんか。
おちゃをのみませんか。
Would you like to drink tea?
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) おちゃを (tea) ──> 飲みます ──> [ - ❌ ます ] ──> 飲み ──> [ + ませんか ] ──> おちゃを飲みませんか (why don't we have some tea?).
にほんごをべんきょうしませんか。
nihongo o benkyou shimasen ka.
Would you like to study Japanese?
How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) にほんごを ──> べんきょうします ──> [ - ❌ ます ] ──> べんきょうし ──> [ + ませんか ] ──> Why don't we study Japanese?
Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)
"Would you like to eat together?" — which is correct?
💡 Hint: Invitation = ません + か.
ませんか expresses a polite invitation.
Which one invites: "Would you like to drink tea?"
💡 Hint: Find the inviting form.
飲みませんか invites; 飲みましょう means "let's drink".
"Would you like to study Japanese?" — which is the correct invitation?
💡 Hint: を on the object, ませんか at the end.
にほんごをべんきょうしませんか is the correct invitation.
Your score: /3