Suggestions and joint actions (давай, давайте)

Saying "Let's": Давай and Давайте

To propose a joint activity in Russian (saying "let's"), you use the word давай or давайте.

Your choice of word depends on who you are talking to:

• Use давай when addressing one person informally (someone you call ты).
• Use давайте when addressing multiple people, or one person formally (someone you call вы).

Perfective Actions: The "Мы" Form

When suggesting a single, completed action, pair давай(те) with a perfective verb. The perfective verb must be conjugated in the first-person plural ("we") form of the future tense.

Planning and Inviting

This structure is extremely common when organizing events, outings, and celebrations with friends or colleagues.

Imperfective Actions: The Infinitive

If you are suggesting an ongoing or continuous action, you must use an imperfective verb. Unlike perfective verbs, an imperfective verb following давай(те) is NOT conjugated—it stays in its infinitive form.

Expanding Your Suggestions

You can easily build on these invitations by adding a чтобы clause to explain why you are getting together, or by following up with an encouraging phrase like это будет весело (it will be fun).