Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Come" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "come", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
来ます
きます (kimasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
来る
くる (kuru)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "come" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 来ます and 来る.
In Japanese, 来ます (きます (kimasu)) is typically associated with "to come (polite form)" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Polite form of 来る.
On the other hand, 来る (くる (kuru)) maps to "to come" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Used for movement towards the speaker's location or a specified location. Polite form is 来ます. A literal translation of "come" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "来ます"
友達が家に来ます。
My friend comes to my house.
Bilingual Context for "来る"
明日、彼が家に来ます。
He will come to my house tomorrow.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "友達が家に ＿＿＿ 。" (Meaning: "My friend comes to my house.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "来ます" fits here because it means "to come (polite form)" in the context of: "My friend comes to my house.". "来る" represents "to come".