JLPT N2Speeches, editorialsRallying

（よ）うではないかlet us…

A call to act together, made to an audience: "let us…". It has the shape of a negative question, but nothing is negated and nobody is being asked.

今いまこそ、地ち域いきの未み来らいについて共ともに考かんがえようではないか。

Now is the time for us to think together about the future of our community.

polite, to an audience

立たち場ばの違ちがいを越こえて、対たい話わを続つづけようではありませんか。

Let us keep up the dialogue across our differences.

in speech

今こん夜やは久ひさしぶりに、みんなで飲のもうじゃないか。

It's been a while. Let's all have a drink tonight.

How to form it

行いこうではないか　／　考かんがえようではないか　／　しようではないか

The plain （よ）う form, then ではないか. To an audience, ではありませんか; in speech, じゃないか. The verb stays plain: not 考かんがえましょうではないか.

Who says it: Usually someone speaking to a group and counting themselves in: a politician, a company president, a coach, a columnist.
Tone: Stirring, and sure of a yes.
In speech: ようじゃないか: hearty and a little old-fashioned, mostly from older men.
Where you'll meet it: Speeches, editorials, books that argue a case, and narrators leading you on to the next point.

In use

次つぎの世せ代だいのために、今いま、行こう動どうを起おこそうではないか。

For the sake of the next generation, let us act now.

この機き会かいに、私わたしたちの働はたらき方かたを見み直なおそうではありませんか。

Let us take this chance to rethink the way we work.

では、その理り由ゆうを一ひとつずつ見みていこうではないか。

Now, let us look at the reasons one by one.

For everyday plans, it is ましょう

For an ordinary suggestion people say ましょう, or （よ）う to friends. ようではないか is for a cause, so over small plans it sounds like a speech.

会かい議ぎは三さん時じに始はじめましょう。

Let's start the meeting at three.

Sounds odd: 昼ひるご飯はんはラーメンを食たべようではないか。

Let us have ramen for lunch.

Fine as a joke.

Close neighbours

じゃないか・ではないかN4

After a plain form, not a （よ）う form, it points something out: surprise, or "I told you".

この方ほう法ほうなら、作さ業ぎょう時じ間かんをかなり減へらせるじゃないか。

Why, this way we can cut the working time a lot.

（よ）うか・ましょうかN5

With か alone it is a real question: "shall we?", or an offer, "shall I?". It waits for an answer.

重おもそうだね。一ひとつ持もとうか。

That looks heavy. Shall I carry one?

Check yourself

1A mayor says this to a hall. What is she saying?

力ちからを合あわせて、この町まちを守まもろうではありませんか。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one is the appeal, "let us…"?

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

One person can say it too, taking up a challenge: "all right then, I will".

そこまで言いうなら、やってやろうじゃないか。

If you put it like that, fine. I'll do it.

More sentences

社しゃ会かい全ぜん体たいで、食しょく品ひんロスを減へらしていこうではないか。

As a society, let us cut down on food waste.

過か去この失しっ敗ぱいから学まなび、より透とう明めいな制せい度どを築きずこうではないか。

Let us learn from past failures and build a more transparent system.

この問もん題だいを一いち部ぶの人ひとだけに任まかせず、私わたしたち自じ身しんで解かい決けつ策さくを探さがそうではないか。

Let us not leave this problem to a few people, but look for solutions ourselves.

災さい害がいの教きょう訓くんを忘わすれず、地ち域いきの備そなえをさらに強きょう化かしようではありませんか。

Let us remember the lessons of the disaster and make our community still better prepared.