let's

let's — idiom

1. used to start a friendly suggestion that involves both you and the person you ar

1.idiomA2
Definition

used to start a friendly suggestion that involves both you and the person you are talking to — for example, proposing an activity, a plan, or a way to solve a problem together

Example

Mei-Lin said, 'Let's grab a coffee at the café around the corner before the meeting.'

let's + bare infinitive for suggesting an activity

Let's not argue about this — we can find a solution that works for both of us.

let's not + bare infinitive for negative suggestions

Common collocations
  • let's go
  • let's see
  • let's try
  • let's not
  • let's start
  • let's meet
  • let's hope
  • let's face it
Synonyms
  • shall we

    more formal; 'shall we begin?' sounds more polite and less casual than 'let's begin'

  • why don't we

    more conversational and slightly more tentative; 'why don't we try the new place?' invites discussion rather than assuming agreement

  • how about

    used with a gerund or noun phrase; 'how about grabbing dinner?' feels more open-ended than 'let's grab dinner'

Grammar Patterns

let's + bare infinitive

let's not + bare infinitive

let's + bare infinitive + (additional information)

Usage Note

Subject is always inclusive of the listener — 'let's' cannot be used when the speaker is suggesting something only for themselves. The negative form 'let's not' (e.g. 'let's not wait any longer') is standard; the alternative 'don't let's' is sometimes heard in British English but is less common.

Common Mistakes

Let's we go to the park.
Let's go to the park.
'let's' already includes 'we'; do not add another subject after it.
Let's to eat dinner now.
Let's eat dinner now.
the verb after 'let's' must be the bare infinitive (no 'to').
Let's don't argue.
Let's not argue.
the standard negative form is 'let's not', not 'let's don't'.

let's — contraction

Synonym discussion

Sense: idiom/1

All four expressions make suggestions, but they differ in how definite the proposal sounds. Let's is the most direct and assumes the listener is likely to agree — 'let's order pizza' sounds like a decision already forming. Why don't we sounds more tentative and invites negotiation — 'why don't we order pizza?' leaves room for the other person to suggest Thai food instead. Shall we is more formal and polite, common in British English and service settings — 'shall we take our seats?' is a courteous prompt. How about works differently grammatically, taking a gerund or noun phrase — 'how about pizza?' feels like a quick, low-commitment option. Use let's when you are fairly sure the other person will agree; use why don't we or how about when you want to keep the discussion open.

let's ↗shall wewhy don't wehow about ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Let's is a contraction of let us that first appeared in written English around 1567. The phrase let us originally meant 'allow us (to do something)', but over time it became a conventional way to make a suggestion that includes the speaker and the listener. The contracted form let's emerged in casual speech as the natural shortening of the two words, and by the 17th century it had become the standard way to propose joint action in everyday conversation.