Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "聞きます" vs "遅れます"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
聞きます
ききます (kikimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
遅れます
おくれます (okuremasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 聞きます and 遅れます are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
聞きます (ききます (kikimasu)) represents "to listen, to hear, to ask (polite form)" (Level: N5) and typically represents Polite form of 聞く.
On the other hand, 遅れます (おくれます (okuremasu)) translates to "to be late, to be delayed" (Level: N5) and is used for Verb, polite form. Used when arriving after the scheduled time or when something is behind schedule. Often used with に. The dictionary form is 遅れる. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "聞きます"
音楽を聞きます。
I listen to music.
Bilingual Sentence for "遅れます"
電車が遅れて、会社に遅れました。
The train was delayed, so I was late for work.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "音楽を ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "I listen to music.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "聞きます" fits here because it represents "to listen, to hear, to ask (polite form)" in the context: "I listen to music.".