Learn Hardcore Japanese: syuumatu ni undou wo simasen ka?

In Japanese, に marks a specific point in time. By saying 週末に, you’re specifying “on the weekend.” Without に, 週末 can sound like just mentioning the weekend topic, but with に it clearly indicates the time at which the action will occur.

Why is を used after 運動?

運動する is a suru-verb, and you often insert を to turn 運動 into its direct object: 運動をする literally means “to do exercise.” You can drop を and say 運動します, but 運動をする is very common and puts a little extra emphasis on the “doing” of exercise.

What does しませんか mean?

しませんか is the polite negative question form used for invitations or suggestions. While it literally reads “Won’t you do ~?”, it functions like “Would you like to…?” or “Shall we…?” in English, making the invitation softer and more polite.

Why use the negative question instead of a positive form like しますか?

Using a negative question (しませんか) is a convention in Japanese that softens requests and invitations. It’s less direct and more polite than saying しますか, which can sound abrupt or too forward in many social situations.

Could I say 週末は運動しませんか instead?

Yes, you can use は instead of に, but it shifts the nuance. 週末は sets “as for weekends” as the topic, possibly implying a contrast with weekdays, whereas 週末に simply states “on the weekend” as the time when the action happens.

What’s the difference between しませんか and the volitional form しましょうか?

Both can be used for suggestions, but:

しませんか is clearly an invitation to the listener (“Won’t you do…?”).
しましょうか is more like “Shall I/we do…?” or “Do you want me/us to do…?” It can be used by a speaker offering to do something for someone else, or as a mutual suggestion, but it sometimes puts more emphasis on the speaker’s willingness.

Could I drop に or を in casual speech?

Yes. In very casual contexts you might hear 週末運動しない？ dropping both particles. However, in polite speech (especially when speaking with someone you want to show respect to), keeping に and を maintains clarity and correctness.

Why is there no subject in the sentence?

Japanese often omits the subject when it’s clear from context. Here, it’s understood that the speaker is suggesting to the listener (and possibly including themselves) to do exercise on the weekend. Explicitly saying 私たちは or あなたは isn’t necessary.