Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "待ちます" vs "降ります"
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
降ります
おります (orimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 待ちます and 降ります 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, 降ります (おります (orimasu)) translates to "to get off (a vehicle), to fall (rain/snow)" (Level: N5) and is used for Polite form of 降りる. 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 "降ります"
次の駅で電車を降ります。
I will get off the train at the next station.
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.".