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How to Say ‘Shall we go for a drink together?’ in Japanese

一緒に飲みに行きませんか。

issho ni nomi ni iki mase n ka

[eesh-shoh nee nomi nee ee-kee mah-seh n ka]

🇯🇵 In Japan: 飲みに行く almost always means going out for alcohol, usually at an izakaya. Among coworkers and new acquaintances it's one of the main ways friendships form in Japan.

Phrase Breakdown

一緒に

issho ni

Together

Pronounced is-sho-ni. Make the small っ a short pause before 'sho'.

Example

一緒に帰りましょう。

Let's go home together.

Words in this phrase

一緒

issho

[eesh-shoh]

together

Means together or with someone else.

Example

家族と一緒に行きました。

I went together with my family.

に

[nee]

(adverb marker)

Turns 一緒 into the adverb 'together'.

Example

一緒に帰りましょう。

Let's go home together.

飲みに行きませんか。

nomi ni iki mase n ka

Shall we go for a drink?

A polite invitation to go drinking. Say no-mi-ni i-ki-ma-sen-ka smoothly.

Example

週末、飲みに行きませんか。

Shall we go for a drink this weekend?

Words in this phrase

飲み

nomi

[nomi]

drink

The stem of 飲む, meaning to drink.

Example

水を飲みますが、ラテも好きです。

I drink water, but I also like lattes.

に

[nee]

for (purpose)

After a verb stem, marks the purpose of going or coming.

Example

映画を見に行きます。

I'm going to see a movie.

行き

iki

[ee-kee]

go (stem)

The stem of 行く, used to form polite verb expressions like past tense.

Example

朝早く行きました。

I went early in the morning.

ませ

mase

[mah-seh]

polite negative (part of ません)

「ませ」 is part of 「ません」, the polite negative form.

Example

はいていません。

I haven’t vomited.

ん

[n]

negative ending

The final sound completing the negative polite form.

Example

一人は魚が食べられません。

One person cannot eat fish.

か

[ka]

question particle

Used at the end of sentences to make a question.

Example

これは何ですか？

What is this?

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