Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "急ぎます" vs "待つ"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
急ぎます
いそぎます (isogimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
待つ
まつ (matsu)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 急ぎます and 待つ are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
急ぎます (いそぎます (isogimasu)) represents "to hurry" (Level: N5) and typically represents Intransitive verb. Used to express the act of doing something quickly because of limited time or urgency..
On the other hand, 待つ (まつ (matsu)) translates to "to wait" (Level: N4) and is used for Used when expecting something or someone. Polite form is 待ちます. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "急ぎます"
時間がないので、急ぎましょう。
There's no time, so let's hurry.
Bilingual Sentence for "待つ"
バスを駅で待ちます。
I wait for the bus at the station.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "時間がないので、急ぎましょう。" (Meaning: "There's no time, so let's hurry.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "急ぎます" fits here because it represents "to hurry" in the context: "There's no time, so let's hurry.".