Here goes vs Let's go

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

Here goes

Informal Top 2,000 (common)

Let's go

Top 1,000 (very common)

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

	Here goes	Let's go
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //hɪə ɡəʊz// 🇺🇸 //hɪr ɡoʊz//	🇬🇧 //lɛts ɡəʊ// 🇺🇸 //lɛts ɡoʊ//
Meaning	A phrase used to indicate you're starting something or trying something new.	A way to suggest leaving or starting an activity together.
Example	Here goes nothing, I’m about to make my speech.	Let's go to the park this afternoon.
Register	Informal	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
Collocations	here goes again, here goes nothing, here goes my chance	let's go out, let's go home, let's go eat
Common mistakes	Used only when starting something dangerous or risky., Confused with 'Here we go' which has a similar meaning but is sometimes used differently., Overused in formal settings where a different phrase would be appropriate.	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	Used in casual conversations, often to signal the beginning of an action or event. Not suitable for formal contexts.	Commonly used for invitations or suggestions. Suitable in casual conversations among friends, but less formal in business settings.

See it in real clips

Avengers › Avengers Endgame

ANT-MAN: Here goes!

Here goes

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: Here goes vs Let's go

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

Here goes: A phrase used to indicate you're starting something or trying something new. Let's go: A way to suggest leaving or starting an activity together.

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

Let's go is the most formal of these.

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

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

Can you show an example of each?

Here goes: Here goes nothing, I’m about to make my speech. Let's go: Let's go to the park this afternoon.

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

Not always. Here goes 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.