Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "行きます" vs "むかえる"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
行きます
いきます (ikimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
むかえる
むかえる (mukaeru)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 行きます and むかえる are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
行きます (いきます (ikimasu)) represents "to go (polite form)" (Level: N5) and typically represents Polite form of 行く.
On the other hand, むかえる (むかえる (mukaeru)) translates to "to welcome; to meet; to pick up (a person)" (Level: N5) and is used for Used when meeting someone at a designated place, often to bring them somewhere else, or to welcome a new event/year.. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "行きます"
学校へ行きます。
I go to school.
Bilingual Sentence for "むかえる"
空港まで友達を迎えに行きます。
I'm going to the airport to pick up my friend.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "学校へ ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "I go to school.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "行きます" fits here because it represents "to go (polite form)" in the context: "I go to school.".