Homophones, or phrases which have the identical sound however completely different meanings, exist in lots of languages.
In English, for example, the phrases “the place” and “put on” are homophones. Each sound similar when spoken aloud, however the two phrases have vastly completely different meanings.
Japanese isn’t any exception when it comes to this sort of phrase.
Using kanji typically assist distinguish between completely different phrases with the identical sound, however if a phrase is written in hiragana or being stated out loud you’ve got to decide the right meaning from context.
On this article, we’ll study the verb きます (kimasu), a homophone with two typical phrase meanings.
What does きます (kimasu) mean?
きます has two potential meanings in most contexts. The primary possibility for this phrase is 来ます, most frequently meaning “to come” or “to arrive” though it will also be utilized in different methods.
One other chance is 着ます, meaning “to put on” or “to placed on.” Irrespective of which phrase it stands in for, きます is a verb and is conjugated within the “masu,” or well mannered, type.
Take into account that implies that to correctly use these verbs, which means you will want to know their base type. For 着ます (“to put on”) the bottom type of きます is 着る (kiru).
However, 来ます (“to come”) is an irregular verb which has a base type of 来る (kuru).
There are a number of different verbs which have a base type of kiru, however these verbs conjugate to きります as an alternative of きます so in case you see きます written down it’s most definitely one of many two meanings listed right here.
来る and きます
The verb 来る (kuru) at its core means “to come.” Like in English, 来ます is intransitive, so that you shouldn’t add a direct object to it.
来る is an fascinating verb as a result of, not like the overwhelming majority of Japanese verbs, it follows an irregular conjugation sample.
As a substitute of dropping the “ru” and including a “masu” to the tip like a ru-verb, 来る follows its personal unusual guidelines by dropping the “ru” and altering the “ku” to a “ki” to make its verb stem.
In reality, data of 来る’s irregular conjugation dates again to the Previous Japanese utilized in Eighth-century paperwork!
Which means the “masu” type of 来る is just not “くます” however “きます.” This type of the verb implies current or future tense, relying on the remainder of the sentence.
There are additionally a number of surprising methods you should utilize 来ます in a sentence to add nuance to different verbs, mentioned under.
Observe, although, which you could’t use 来ます for “to orgasm” like you possibly can the English phrase come. In Japanese, the phrase for “to go” (行く) is used as an alternative.
来ます meaning “to come” or “to arrive”
The standard method to use 来ます is to notice that one thing is coming or that one thing has arrived.
You should utilize this kind of きます when the prepare arrives, when somebody is coming over to go to and in lots of different conditions.
来ます is a verb, and in a Japanese sentence it needs to be preceded generally by both は or が (the “subject marker” or “topic marker” particles).
In a sentence the place one thing is coming to an oblique object, に or へ needs to be used, relying on which is extra applicable.
来ます with no object:
[subject] が 来ます.
来ます with an oblique object
[subject] が [indirect object] に 来ます.
Examples
「列車が来ます。」
The prepare is coming.
「包みは明日に来ますって。」
It says the package deal will arrive tomorrow.
Observe that you’ll typically hear the extra formal 参ります (mairimasu) used on bulletins for trains and different kinds of public transportation.
来ます (kimasu) for ongoing actions
One particular method to use 来ます is to add it to the tip of one other verb to present that the motion of that verb has continued till now.
On this use of 来ます, you don’t usually use kanji for the き.
Grammatically, you want to conjugate the verb with the continued motion to its て (te) type.
[verb]てきます
Examples
「ずいぶん雨が降ってきます、ね。」
“There’s been various rain, huh?”
Though the interpretation doesn’t specify it, using きます exhibits that the rain continues to be taking place or has very lately stopped.
きます to recommend a return
One other particular use of 来ます is to add it to the tip of a verb in て type to present or indicate a “return.”
That is why this verb seems within the inventory phrase 行ってきます (“I’m going”), used when leaving the house.
The きます half implies that the individual goes after which coming again later, though the latter is often ignored in English translations.
You may also use this to recommend that you’ll fetch one thing and convey it again to the individual to whom you might be talking.
Examples
「明日行ってきますよ。」
“I’m going tomorrow.”
「宿題を持ってきます。」
“I’ll go get my homework.”
Observe that neither of those explicitly point out coming again in English. Identical to how you wouldn’t often say “I’ll get my homework and convey it to you,” nevertheless, in Japanese the intention is evident.
きます when receiving issues
The final frequent method to use きます that this text will cowl is its use to present that you’re receiving one thing from somebody.
This can be a neat trick, as a result of it makes a sentence much less ambiguous even when the topic is implied. Any sentence utilizing きます on this method has an implied topic of “I” or “me.”
Once more, this particular use of きます makes use of the て type for the previous verb.
On this case, nevertheless, the earlier verb used is sort of all the time 持つ (motsu), to maintain/have.
Often, the verb きます will truly be conjugated up to now tense (きました) on this case, since you are sometimes speaking about issues up to now.
Examples
「すぐ身分証明書を持ってきます。」
“I’ll get my ID card quickly.”
Though the phrase “come” doesn’t seem within the English translation, notice that きます seems after 持って, meaning “to maintain,” altering the meaning to extra like “I can be given.”
It’s additionally value noting that though this and the earlier instance each use 持ってきます, the meaning is totally completely different due to the completely different contexts.
This actually drives residence how necessary it’s to listen to the subject beneath dialogue in Japanese, moderately than simply memorizing particular phrases.
「包みが持ってきました！」
“I bought the package deal!”
着る and きます
Our second contender for きます is the verb 着る (kiru), which suggests “to put on” or “to placed on.”
Not like 来る, this verb follows an everyday sample. It is an 一段 (ichidan) verb, so to get the verb stem you simply drop that る the identical method you’ll with 食べる, みる, and varied different -ru verbs.
The well mannered “masu” type of the verb 着る, in different phrases, is きます. Once more, this represents both the current or future tense of the verb, relying on context.
As a result of this verb follows the identical sample as different ichidan verbs, it’s straightforward to work out the opposite conjugations.
As a substitute, let’s transfer on to utilizing this verb in a sentence.
着ます for sporting garments
The most common method you will notice this きます verb used is to describe garments that individuals are sporting.
As in English, you will want a direct object for 着ます to describe what you might be sporting, making this a transitive verb.
Do not forget that Japanese is a SVO (Topic Verb Object) language, so the right type is: [subject] は [object] を 着ます
The topic of Japanese sentences is usually implied, moderately than explicitly acknowledged, so you might extra generally see or hear simply [object] を 着ます as an alternative.
Examples
「何を着ますか？」
What are you sporting?
「私は明日新しいスーツを着ます。」
Tomorrow, I’ll put on a brand new go well with.
着ます for placing on garments
An alternative method to use 着ます is to say that somebody is “placing on” the garments.
Not like English, the identical verb as “to put on” is used.
Each makes use of of 着ます are conjugated and positioned in a sentence identically, so context is required to work out whether or not the individual in query is already sporting one thing or is placing it on now.
Examples
「寒いからジャケットを着ます。」
It’s chilly, so I’ll placed on a jacket.
Once more, “I’m sporting a jacket” could also be a extra applicable translation right here.
きます as Web slang: キターーーーーー！
One odd method to use 来ます is as slang online.
On this case, it means one thing like “Lastly!” or “It’s right here!” and implies a long-awaited occasion is occurring.
To make use of the phrase this manner, put it up to now tense and in katakana, and add dashes after it to present pleasure.
If a brand new season of your favourite anime was made after a five-year wait you would possibly head to Twitter to say 「キターーーーーー！」
Identical to an everyday verb, you possibly can put the topic and が earlier than this use of きます。
Nonetheless, this can be a form of otaku utilization, so beware!<
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