-자 Grammar in Korean: Meaning and How to Use It

What you'll learn

• Attach 자 to any verb stem and say the proposal aloud.
• Handle ㄹ-stems and irregular stems, which keep their base form.
• Pronounce the tense sound in 먹자 [먹짜] and 앉자 [안짜].
• Decide who you can say -자 to.
• Choose between -자, -(으)ㅂ시다 and -(으)ㄹ까요?.

Before you start: you should know how to find a verb stem by dropping 다, and the polite question -(으)ㄹ까요?, which is the polite way to make the same proposal. Audio plays only when you press a button.

What Does -자 Grammar Mean?

-자 grammar means "let's..." in casual speech. The speaker proposes that the speaker and the listener do something together. The ending is short, direct and friendly, and it does not ask for permission.

Two examples show the idea.

• 우리 빨리 가자. (uri ppalli gaja.) = "Let's go quickly."
• 오늘은 집에서 쉬자. (oneureun jibeseo swija.) [오느른 지베서 쉬자] = "Let's rest at home today."

The word 우리 ("we") often appears, but Korean does not need it, because the ending already means "we". The speaker expects the listener to join. For this reason the ending suits people who are close. The sections below show how to build the ending and where it belongs. First comes the formation rule.

How Do You Form -자?

-자 is formed by dropping 다 from the dictionary form of a verb and adding 자 to the stem. The ending is the same for every stem. Unlike -(으)ㄹ까요? and -(으)세요, it has no version with 으, because 자 can follow any final consonant directly.

The table shows one ending with one shape. The sound column shows a change, which the next parts explain. After a stop sound such as ㄱ, ㄷ or ㅂ, and after the cluster ㄵ, the ㅈ of 자 becomes tense. The Revised Romanization shows the letters (meokja), not the tense sound.

Stems Ending in a Vowel

A vowel stem takes 자 directly: 가다 becomes 가자, 보다 becomes 보자, and 쉬다 becomes 쉬자.

• 같이 영화 보자. (gachi yeonghwa boja.) = "Let's watch a movie together."
• 이제 그만하자. (ije geumanhaja.) = "Let's stop now." (그만하다 means "to stop".)

No sound change happens after a vowel, so 보자 is simply [보자]. The pronunciation is as spelled.

Stems Ending in a Consonant

A consonant stem also takes 자 directly, with no 으: 먹다 becomes 먹자, and 앉다 becomes 앉자. The ㅈ sounds tense after the stem's final sound, so 먹자 is said [먹짜], 앉자 is said [안짜], and 읽자 is said [익짜]. The pronunciation follows the 국립국어원 standard pronunciation rules (표준 발음법), which tense a plain consonant after a stop sound, and after ㄴ or ㅁ at the end of a verb stem.

• 점심 먹자. (jeomsim meokja.) [점심 먹짜] = "Let's eat lunch."
• 여기 앉자. (yeogi anja.) [여기 안짜] = "Let's sit here."

Do not write 먹짜 or 안짜. The spelling stays 자, and the tense sound is a pronunciation habit only.

Do ㄹ-Stems and Irregular Verbs Change?

ㄹ-stems keep their ㄹ, because the ㄹ drops only before ㄴ, ㅂ and ㅅ, and 자 starts with ㅈ. Irregular stems keep their base form, because their changes happen only before a vowel, and 자 starts with a consonant.

This is the opposite of -(으)ㄹ까요? and -(으)세요, where the same stems change. The rule is simple: if the ending starts with a consonant (자, 지, 고), the stem usually stays. If the ending starts with a vowel or 으, the stem may change. With the formation clear, one sentence can be built step by step.

Worked Example: Building a Sentence with -자

-자 grammar works by turning a plain verb into a friendly proposal. Follow the steps for the sentence "Let's eat lunch together."

1. Start with the dictionary form. The verb is 먹다 (to eat).
2. Drop 다 to find the stem. The stem is 먹. It ends in a consonant (ㄱ).
3. Add 자. There is no linking vowel, so you get 먹자. Say it as [먹짜].
4. Check the listener. The listener is a friend, so the casual ending is fine.
5. Add the object. 같이 점심 먹자. (gachi jeomsim meokja.) [가치 점심 먹짜] = "Let's eat lunch together."

You will know it worked when the verb ends in 자 with no 으 and the listener is a close friend or a junior. The most common slip is adding 으: 먹으자 is wrong. The next question is when the ending can appear in different tenses and sentence types.

Which Tenses and Sentence Types Work with -자?

-자 works only in the present, as a proposal, and only with action verbs. A proposal is about a future action, so most other forms cannot attach.

The negative uses 말다: 늦지 말자 (neutji malja) [늗찌 말자] = "Let's not be late." The same helper appears in -지 마세요. Slogans and public notices also use -자, because they address everyone as an equal group: 물을 아끼자 (mureul akkija) [무를 아끼자] = "Let's save water."

Intonation is simple: the proposal ends with a level or falling tone, like any statement. A rising tone makes it tentative, closer to "Should we go?" A question with a question word is not made with -자 at all. For that, a casual speaker says 어디 갈까? ("Where shall we go?"). The pattern has close neighbours that learners confuse with it.

How Is -자 Different from -(으)ㅂ시다 and -(으)ㄹ까요?

-자, -(으)ㅂ시다 and -(으)ㄹ까요? all mean "let's" in some form, but they differ in register and in who decides. -자 is the most casual and the most direct.

The same idea sounds different in each form. 가자 is a friendly push, 갑시다 is firm and a little formal, and 갈까요? is a polite question that leaves the choice open. The full contrast is covered in -(으)ㅂ시다 and -(으)ㄹ까요?. A comparison page puts the three side by side: -(으)ㅂ시다 vs -(으)ㄹ까요 vs -자. The casual command and suggestion forms are also shown in banmal commands and suggestions. These contrasts lead to a few variations in how the ending is used.

Variations and Edge Cases of -자

-자 has four common variations: opening words, slogans, a rising tone and -자요 in speech. Each one shows how real speakers use it.

• Opening words. Speakers often start with 자 ("Okay") to call attention: 자, 시작하자 ("Okay, let's start"). Here 자 is a separate interjection.
• Slogans and notices. Public messages use -자 for a shared goal: 교통 법규를 지키자 ("Let's obey traffic rules").
• A rising tone. 우리 이제 갈까? and 이제 가자? both check whether the listener is ready, with -자 sounding more eager.
• -자요 in speech. Some speakers add 요 to be less blunt: 가자요. This is heard in speech, but the standard polite choices are 가요, 갈까요? and 갑시다. For a safe polite proposal, use 갈까요?.

This lesson covers the proposal ending, not the whole casual speech level. For the wider picture, see Korean Speech Levels, and for the respect marker that -자 cannot take, see honorific -(으)시-. The mistakes below are the ones that appear most often.

What Mistakes Do Learners Make with -자?

Learners most often confuse the register, the stem and the meaning. Four mistakes appear again and again.

1. Using it with elders or strangers. 같이 가자 to a teacher sounds rude. Say 같이 갈까요? or 같이 가실까요?.
2. Adding 으 after a consonant. 먹으자 is wrong. Say 먹자.
3. Using it for your own plan. 내일 가자 does not mean "I will go tomorrow"; it means "Let's go tomorrow." The ending always includes the listener. For your own plan, say 내일 갈게.
4. Confusing the sound with the spelling. The ㅈ is said tense in 먹자 [먹짜], but the spelling stays 자. Do not write 먹짜.

A quick check: Is the listener a close friend or a junior? Does the sentence include both of you? Is the stem followed directly by 자? If all three answers are yes, the proposal is sound.

The practice set below tests these points directly.

Practice and Answers

Try the four items before you read the answer key. Cover the answers with your hand.

1. Choose the form. Complete: 우리 같이 ___. (먹으자 / 먹자)
2. Fix the error. A learner writes 만드자 for "Let's make it." Correct it.
3. Translate. "Let's not be late." Use 늦다.
4. Choose the register. You want to invite your teacher to lunch. Do you say 점심 먹자 or 점심 같이 드실까요? Explain why.

Answer key

1. 먹자. The ending attaches directly to the stem, with no 으. Say [먹짜].
2. 만들자. The ㄹ stays, because 자 does not start with ㄴ, ㅂ or ㅅ.
3. 늦지 말자. The negative proposal uses -지 말자.
4. 점심 같이 드실까요? The teacher is a senior, and -자 is casual. The polite honorific question is respectful and leaves the choice open.

If you can complete items 1 to 3 without the key, you can use -자 with friends. The final section points to the next lessons.

What Should You Learn Next after -자 Grammar?

After -자 grammar, learn the formal "let's", then compare all three forms. This lesson teaches the casual proposal and does not cover the formal pattern or the full banmal system in depth. Those live on separate pages.

1. Learn -(으)ㅂ시다, the formal "let's".
2. Review -(으)ㄹ까요?, the polite question that is safe with everyone.
3. Read Suggestions and Requests for every suggestion and request ending in one place.
4. Return to the Beginner Grammar list for the other patterns at this level.

TOPIK is the official Korean proficiency test, and the level shown here is an editorial estimate; the official descriptions are on topik.go.kr. With these steps, the choice becomes automatic: use -자 with friends, -(으)ㅂ시다 among equals in formal talk, and -(으)ㄹ까요? when you want to be safe.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does -자 mean?

-자 means "let's..." in casual speech. 우리 빨리 가자 means "Let's go quickly," and 오늘은 집에서 쉬자 means "Let's rest at home today." The speaker invites the listener to do something together. It is the banmal form of a suggestion, so friends and siblings use it, but strangers and seniors do not.

How do I attach -자 to a verb?

Drop 다 from the verb and add 자. The ending is the same after a vowel and after a consonant: 가다 becomes 가자, and 먹다 becomes 먹자. A ㄹ-stem keeps its ㄹ: 만들다 becomes 만들자. Irregular stems keep their base form: 듣다 becomes 듣자, and 돕다 becomes 돕자. No linking 으 is needed.

Can I use -자 with older people or in polite speech?

No. -자 is casual and treats the listener as an equal or a junior. To a senior, a stranger or a customer, ask with -(으)ㄹ까요?, as in 같이 갈까요?. Among equals in formal talk, speakers use -(으)ㅂ시다. The form 가자요 is heard in speech, but it is not a standard polite form.

How is -자 different from -(으)ㅂ시다 and -(으)ㄹ까요?

-자, -(으)ㅂ시다 and -(으)ㄹ까요? all propose an action together. -자 is casual, -(으)ㅂ시다 is formal and firmer, and -(으)ㄹ까요? is a polite question that leaves the choice to the listener. 가자, 갑시다 and 갈까요? give three different feelings for the same idea.

Is there a negative or past form of -자?

The negative is -지 말자, as in 늦지 말자 ("Let's not be late"). There is no past form, because a suggestion is about a future action, and the honorific -(으)시- cannot attach. A different -자 means "as soon as": 문을 열자 고양이가 나왔다 ("As soon as I opened the door, the cat came out").