Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "行きます" vs "買います"
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
買います
かいます (kaimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 行きます and 買います 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, 買います (かいます (kaimasu)) translates to "to buy" (Level: N5) and is used for Polite form of 買う. 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 "買います"
新しい服をデパートで買います。
I will buy new clothes at the department store.
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.".