Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "買います" vs "とります"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
買います
かいます (kaimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
とります
とります (torimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 買います and とります are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
買います (かいます (kaimasu)) represents "to buy" (Level: N5) and typically represents Polite form of 買う.
On the other hand, とります (とります (torimasu)) translates to "to take (a photo, a class, a break, etc.), to grab, to pass (salt)" (Level: N5) and is used for A versatile verb with multiple meanings depending on the context. Common usages include 写真を撮る. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
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.
Bilingual Sentence for "とります"
写真を撮りましょう。
Let's take a photo.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "新しい服をデパートで ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "I will buy new clothes at the department store.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "買います" fits here because it represents "to buy" in the context: "I will buy new clothes at the department store.".