Let's vs Let's go

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Let's

Informal Top 5,000 (fairly common)

Let's go

Top 1,000 (very common)

Most formal: Let's go Most common: Let's go

	Let's	Let's go
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //lɛts// 🇺🇸 //lɛts//	🇬🇧 //lɛts ɡəʊ// 🇺🇸 //lɛts ɡoʊ//
Meaning	A way to suggest doing something together.	A way to suggest leaving or starting an activity together.
Example	Let's go to the movies tonight!	Let's go to the park this afternoon.
Register	Informal	Neutral
How common	Top 5,000 (fairly common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
Collocations	let's go, let's have, let's do, let's see, let's try	let's go out, let's go home, let's go eat
Common mistakes	Confused use with 'let us' in formal contexts., Omitting the apostrophe in 'lets'., Using it with verbs in past tense, e.g. 'let's went'.	Using 'lets' instead of 'let's' as a contraction for 'let us', Confusing the meaning with 'let go', Not using it with a verb following, e.g., 'let's walk'
Usage notes	Use 'let's' to propose actions with others; it's casual and friendly. Avoid in formal writing.	Commonly used for invitations or suggestions. Suitable in casual conversations among friends, but less formal in business settings.

See it in real clips

Ah, ta-ta-ta. Let's not blow...

Chernobyl › S1 E1

We're wasting time. Let's go.

Well, let's look at the grumpy man in the morning.

Ah, ta-ta-ta. Let's not blow...

Chernobyl › S1 E1

We're wasting time. Let's go.

Let's

Agatha Christies Poirot › S1 E1

Well, let's go, then.

Breaking Bad › S1 E1

Come on. Let's go.

Breaking Bad › S1 E2

Let's go to your house, you know.

Agatha Christies Poirot › S1 E1

Well, let's go, then.

Breaking Bad › S1 E1

Come on. Let's go.

Let's go

Frequently asked questions: Let's vs Let's go

What's the difference between Let's and Let's go?

Let's: A way to suggest doing something together. Let's go: A way to suggest leaving or starting an activity together.

Which is more formal: Let's and Let's go?

Let's go is the most formal of these.

Which is more common: Let's and Let's go?

Let's go is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Let's: Let's go to the movies tonight! Let's go: Let's go to the park this afternoon.

Can I use Let's and Let's go interchangeably?

Not always. Let's and Let's go are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.