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JLPT N5Verb Forms

ます(masu) — Polite Non-Past (Present & Future)

The standard polite affirmative verb ending. Japanese has no separate future tense, so ます covers habitual actions (things done regularly) and settled future plans, as well as the present.

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Free lessonUNIT 2 · VERB FORMS

Structure · 形

[Verb stem] + ます

Examples · 例文

  • 毎朝コーヒーを飲みます。

    Maiasa koohii o nomimasu.

    I drink coffee every morning.

    毎朝 (every morning) — habitual present action

  • 明日東京に行きます。

    Ashita Toukyou ni ikimasu.

    I will go to Tokyo tomorrow.

    明日 (tomorrow) — confirmed future action

  • 日本語を勉強しています。

    Nihongo o benkyou shite imasu.

    I am studying Japanese.

    ています = polite continuous action/state

Usage notes · 注意

  • Conjugation Groups: For U-verbs (Godan), shift the final 'u' vowel to 'i' and add ます (書く kaku → 書きます kakimasu). For Ru-verbs (Ichidan), drop る and add ます (食べる taberu → 食べます tabemasu). Irregulars: する→します, 来る→来ます (kimasu).
  • The Powerful Stem: The part before ます (kaki-, tabe-) works like a noun and attaches to other grammar: に行く (go to do), たい (want to do), ながら (while doing).
  • Politeness Level: This is teineigo (polite speech), suited to colleagues, strangers, and acquaintances.

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ます is tested against.

vsDictionary/plain form (書く, 食べる)

ます is the polite register used with people you don't know well or in formal settings; the plain (dictionary) form is casual, used with close friends and family, and is the form required before much grammar (と思う, つもり, before nouns).

vsています (continuous)

Plain ます states a habit or future plan (飲みます = I drink / will drink); ています states an action in progress or an ongoing state (飲んでいます = I am drinking).

More verb forms

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