Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "待ちます" vs "はしる"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
待ちます
まちます (machimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
はしる
はしる (hashiru)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 待ちます and はしる are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
待ちます (まちます (machimasu)) represents "to wait" (Level: N5) and typically represents Polite form of 待つ. Used for waiting for someone or something..
On the other hand, はしる (はしる (hashiru)) translates to "to run" (Level: N5) and is used for Common verb for physical movement, typically for people or animals. Often used in the form '走る. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "待ちます"
バスを待ちます。
I wait for the bus.
Bilingual Sentence for "はしる"
彼は毎日公園を走ります。
He runs in the park every day.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "バスを ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "I wait for the bus.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "待ちます" fits here because it represents "to wait" in the context: "I wait for the bus.".