shall
v.v. used to talk about the future or to make a suggestion. You use it when you want to offer help or ask for someone's opinion on a plan.
v. used to indicate future action or to express a determination or promise. In modern usage, it frequently appears in first-person questions to offer assistance or propose a course of action.
Shall we go for a walk?
I shall be happy to assist you with your luggage once we reach the hotel lobby.
The contract stipulates that the tenant shall maintain the property in good repair throughout the duration of the lease, failing which the agreement may be terminated.
From Middle English schal (infinitive schulen), from Old English sċeal (infinitive sċulan (“should, must”)), from Proto-West Germanic skulan, from Proto-Germanic skal (infinitive skulaną), from Proto-Indo-European skel- (“to owe, be under obligation”). Cognate with Scots sall, sal (“shall”), North Frisian skal, schal, Saterland Frisian skäl, schäl, schal (infinitive skälle, schälle), West Frisian sil (infinitive sille (“shall”)), Dutch zal (infinitive zullen (“shall”)), Low German schall (infinitive schölen (“shall”)), German soll (infinitive sollen (“ought to”)), Danish skal (infinitive skulle (“shall”)), Icelandic skal (infinitive skulu (“shall”)), Afrikaans sal, Swedish skall (“shall”) (infinitive skola).
A modal auxiliary verb followed by the bare infinitive. In modern speech, it is largely restricted to first-person questions ('Shall I?', 'Shall we?'), while in legal contexts, it expresses a mandatory requirement.
Shall you go to the party?Will you go to the party? / Shall we go to the party?In modern English, 'shall' is rarely used with 'you' or 'they' for simple future questions; use 'will' for those subjects or 'shall' for 'I' and 'we'.