If you’re starting your Japanese journey, one of the first—and most important—things you’ll learn is the ます form. It’s simple, polite, and used everywhere in daily life. Mastering it will instantly make your Japanese sound more natural and respectful.

Let’s break it down!

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🎌 What Is the ます Form?

The ます form is the polite way to end verbs in Japanese.
It corresponds roughly to “do / eat / go” in English, but with a built-in polite tone.

You use it when:

• Talking to people you don’t know well
• Speaking to teachers, coworkers, or customers
• Writing politely
• Anytime you want to sound respectful!

In casual conversations with friends, Japanese people often drop ます and use plain form verbs—but the ます form is the safest for learners.

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✏️ How to Make the ます Form

The ます form attaches to the verb stem.
Here are the basics:

1. Ru-verbs (Ichidan verbs)

Simply remove る and add ます.

Example:

• たべる (to eat) → たべます
• みる (to see/watch) → みます

2. U-verbs (Godan verbs)

Change the final sound to the い–row, then add ます.

Examples:

• いく (to go) → いきます
• よむ (to read) → よみます
• はなす (to speak) → はなします

3. Irregular Verbs

Only two common ones:

• する (to do) → します
• くる (to come) → きます

That’s it!

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🔄 ます Form Variations

Just like English verbs change to express time, ます form can also change:

Form	Meaning	Example
ます	present/future	たべます (I eat / I will eat)
ました	past	たべました (I ate)
ません	negative	たべません (I don’t eat)
ませんでした	past negative	たべませんでした (I didn’t eat)

This pattern is the same for almost every verb—very learner-friendly!

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🗣️ Examples You Can Use Today

Here are some everyday phrases using ます form:

• いきます。 – I will go.
• のみます。 – I drink.
• にほんごを　べんきょうします。 – I study Japanese.
• だいがくに　いきました。 – I went to the university.
• コーヒーは　のみません。 – I don’t drink coffee.

Try putting these into your own sentences!

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🌟 Why the ます Form Matters

Using the ます form helps you:

• Communicate politely with everyone
• Build a solid foundation for future grammar
• Avoid sounding rude accidentally
• Speak naturally in real Japanese situations

Most importantly, Japanese people appreciate polite speech—so using ます makes conversations smoother and friendlier.

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✨ Final Tip

If you’re not sure whether a situation is formal or casual, use ます.
It’s safe, polite, and always appreciated.

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