In Japanese, depending on who you are talking to, we use all forms of different ending for our verbs. However, it will be most appropriate if you learn the polite form of each verb, so you can use them to anyone.

 

For example, take a look at the following conversation.

You: How are you?

Partner:I am doing well. Do you want to stop by Starbucks for a quick coffee?

You: Sure, lets go.

 

If your partner here is your close friend, Japanese conversation might sound like this:

You: Genki? (元気？げんき？)

Partner: Genki (dayo). Sutaba* de chotto cofi- demo dou? (元気（だよ）。スタバでちょっとコーヒーでもどう？)

*Starbucks is often called Sutaba (スタバ) in Japanese.

You: Iiyo. ikou! (いいよ。行こう！いいよ、いこう！)

 

Watch how this conversation changes if your partner is someone you don’t know too well, or someone you respect.

 

You: Ogenki desuka? (お元気ですか？おげんきですか？)

Partner: Genki desu. Sutaba* de chotto cofi- demo doudesuka? (元気です。スタバでちょっとコーヒーでもどうですか？)

You: Iidesuyo. Ikimashou.(いいですよ。行きましょう。いきましょう。)

 

The first thing you might notice here is adding “O(お)” at the beginning of the word, “genki(元気、げんき)”. By adding  “O(お)”, it sounds much more polite in this case.

 

The phrase from your partner also changed from Dou? (どう？) to Doudesuka? (どうですか？) The important thing to remember is, anytime you add “desu” to the end, it sounds much more polite.

 

Lastly, “ikou(行こう)” changed to “ikimashou(行きましょう)”.  Ikimashou sounds much more polite in Japanese.

 

Let me show you how each verb will change when making them to polite form.

 

To write:

Kaku(書く、かく) ====> Kaki masu (書きます、かきます)

To quit

Yameru(止める、やめる)  ==> Yame masu(止めます、やめます)

To run

Hashiru (走る、はしる)   ==> Hashiri masu(走ります、はしります)

To sleep

Neru(寝る、ねる)  ==> Ne masu(寝ます、ねます)

To eat

Taberu(食べる、たべる)  ==> Tabe masu(食べます、たべます)

To watch

Miru (見る、みる)  ==> Mi masu(見ます、みます)

To speak

Shaberu (喋る、しゃべる)  ==> Shaberi masu(喋ります、しゃべります)

To cry

Naku (泣く、なく)  ==> Naki masu(泣きます、なきます)

 

You noticed that “masu(ます)” is the key word to add at the end of each verb. However, pay close attention to the ending, how each verb changes before you add the “masu(ます)”.

If you have any questions on any of these, please feel free to let me know in the comment section!