Grammar: first steps › Lesson 8
Polite verbs with ます
Use the ます form of verbs when you want to speak politely about actions.
Key points
masu and masen
食べます is the polite form of 食べる. It covers what you do habitually and what you will do. The negative is 食べません.
Particles with verbs
を marks the object, へ marks the destination, and で marks where the action happens: "Kouen de asobimasu."
Examples
- わたしは毎朝パンを食べます。Watashi wa maiasa pan o tabemasu.I eat bread every morning.
- わたしは肉を食べません。Watashi wa niku o tabemasen.I do not eat meat.
- 学校へ行きます。Gakkou e ikimasu.I go to school.
- 公園で遊びます。Kouen de asobimasu.I play in the park.
- 水を飲みますか。Mizu o nomimasu ka.Will you drink water?
A small tip
Answer by repeating the verb: "Hai, nomimasu" (yes) or "Iie, nomimasen" (no).
Check yourself
1. What does "tabemasen" mean?
ません is the negative.
2. Which particle fits in "kouen ___ asobimasu"?
で marks where an action takes place.
3. What does へ show in "gakkou e ikimasu"?
へ marks direction or destination.
This lesson was checked on 2026.11.08. Translations are a learning guide.