ます形

## What it means The ます form is the polite way to say a verb in the present or future tense. **ます** means the action does or will happen, and **ません** means it does not or will not happen.

## When to use it Every Japanese verb belongs to one of three groups, and each changes into ます in its own way. **Group 1** verbs swap the final う-sound for an い-sound and add ます: 飲む → 飲みます. **Group 2** verbs drop the final る and add ます: 食べる → 食べます. **Group 3** has just two irregular verbs: する → します and 来る → 来ます. For the negative, simply swap ます for ません: 飲みます → 飲みません.

## Don't confuse it with Don't confuse the ます form with the plain, dictionary form of a verb (like 飲む, 食べる, する). The dictionary form is what close friends use with each other, while ます is the safe, polite form for strangers, teachers, and most everyday conversation. As a beginner, it's safest to default to ます until you know someone well.