Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "休みます" vs "待ちます"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
休みます
やすみます (yasumimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
待ちます
まちます (machimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 休みます and 待ちます are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
休みます (やすみます (yasumimasu)) represents "to rest, to take a day off, to be absent" (Level: N5) and typically represents Polite form of 休む.
On the other hand, 待ちます (まちます (machimasu)) translates to "to wait" (Level: N5) and is used for Polite form of 待つ. Used for waiting for someone or something.. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "休みます"
今日は体調が悪いので、会社を休みます。
I'm not feeling well today, so I'll take a day off from work.
Bilingual Sentence for "待ちます"
バスを待ちます。
I wait for the bus.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "今日は体調が悪いので、会社を ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "I'm not feeling well today, so I'll take a day off from work.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "休みます" fits here because it represents "to rest, to take a day off, to be absent" in the context: "I'm not feeling well today, so I'll take a day off from work.".