JapaneseJLPT
JLPT N5 grammar · Chapter 3

～ます

Polite verb ending for now and future

You’ll be able to talk politely about present habits and future plans using the ます ending.

Illustration of the scene described by I drink coffee in the morning.
Read it first

朝あさ、コーヒーを飲のみます。

asa, koohii o nomimasu.

What do you think this sentence means?

I drink coffee in the morning.

Why it means that

Speak politely about actions and events

Use ～ます for polite non-past verbs. Depending on context, it can describe habits, general facts, or future actions.

Example

毎日まいにち、日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうします。

mainichi, nihongo o benkyou shimasu.

I study Japanese every day.

How it is built

Group 1: move the ending to the い-row

For Group 1 verbs, change the final う-row kana to its い-row partner, then add ます. The part before ます is called the ます-stem.

う → いく → きぐ → ぎす → しつ → ちぬ → にぶ → びむ → みる → り+ます
Examples

買かう → 買かいます

kau → kaimasu

buy → buy / will buy (polite form)

書かく → 書かきます

kaku → kakimasu

write → write / will write (polite form)

泳およぐ → 泳およぎます

oyogu → oyogimasu

swim → swim / will swim (polite form)

話はなす → 話はなします

hanasu → hanashimasu

speak → speak / will speak (polite form)

待まつ → 待まちます

matsu → machimasu

wait → wait / will wait (polite form)

死しぬ → 死しにます

shinu → shinimasu

die → die / will die (polite form)

遊あそぶ → 遊あそびます

asobu → asobimasu

play → play / will play (polite form)

飲のむ → 飲のみます

nomu → nomimasu

drink → drink / will drink (polite form)

帰かえる → 帰かえります

kaeru → kaerimasu

return → return / will return (polite form)

How it is built

Group 2: drop る and add ます

For Group 2 verbs, remove the final る from the dictionary form and add ます. What remains after you drop る is the ます-stem.

Verb without る+ます
Examples

食たべる → 食たべます

taberu → tabemasu

eat → eat / will eat (polite form)

見みる → 見みます

miru → mimasu

see → see / will see (polite form)

起おきる → 起おきます

okiru → okimasu

wake up → wake up / will wake up (polite form)

How it is built

Group 3: irregular verbs

For the irregular verbs, use し for する and き for 来くる, then add ます. These changing parts are their ます-stems.

する→します/来る→来ます
Examples

する → します

suru → shimasu

do → do / will do (polite form)

来くる → 来きます

kuru → kimasu

come → come / will come (polite form)

Compare

Three common uses of ～ます

The polite non-past ～ます form can describe repeated actions, general facts or schedules, and future actions. Context determines the meaning.

  • Habit, 毎朝

    毎朝まいあさ、コーヒーを飲のみます。

    maiasa, koohii o nomimasu.

    I drink coffee every morning.

    毎朝 shows that this is a repeated action.

  • Fact or schedule, 九時

    学校がっこうは九時くじに始はじまります。

    gakkou wa ku-ji ni hajimarimasu.

    School starts at nine.

    The fixed starting time makes this a general schedule.

  • Future action, 明日

    明日あした、友達ともだちに会あいます。

    ashita, tomodachi ni aimasu.

    I will meet a friend tomorrow.

    明日 places the action in the future.