ました
mashita
mashita is a Japanese polite verb ending used to indicate that an action was completed in the past.
mashita is used to express that an action occurred in the past in a way that is respectful to the listener. It functions as a suffix to indicate completed past actions.
Which one should you use?
While ました is the polite past tense, the plain form 〜た is used in casual speech with friends and family. The simplest and most common informal way to express the same meaning is by using した.
How does it change in a sentence?
The suffix ました is attached to the stem of a polite verb to form the past tense. To form the negative past tense of a polite verb, use ませんでした instead of ました.
How do you pronounce it?
mashita
Did you know?
- In Japanese comedy, comedians often end every single sentence with ました to create a character who is unnervingly polite or overly formal, which makes the situation absurd.
- While ました is the standard polite past tense, using it in a very casual setting with close friends can actually make you sound distant or even cold. In such cases, failing to use the polite form is a sign of intimacy.
- Using ました in an upward inflection can turn a statement of fact into a polite question, effectively replacing a question mark without needing the particle か.
Examples in context
- 山田さん、仕事が終わりましたので、帰国します。Yamada-san, I have finished my work, so I will return to my home country.
- 長い間お待たせしましたので、特別に割引いたします。You have been waiting for a long time, so I will provide a special discount.
- 昨日、美味しい寿司を食べました。Yesterday, I ate delicious sushi.
- 映画を見ました。I watched a movie.
- 本を読みました。Hon o yomimashita.I read a book.
- 昨日、テレビを見ました。Kinou, terebi o mimashita.I watched TV yesterday.
- コーヒーを飲みました。Ko-hi- o nomimashita.I drank coffee.
Example conversation
Two students are talking about their weekend.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔さんは週末、何をしましたか。Hiroto-san wa shūmatsu, nani o shimashita ka.Hiroto, what did you do over the weekend?
- 大翔 Hiroto友達と映画を見ました。Tomodachi to eiga o mimashita.I watched a movie with a friend.
- 美咲 Misakiそれは楽しそうですね。Sore wa tanoshisō desu ne.That sounds like fun.
- 大翔 Hirotoはい、とても面白かったです。Hai, totemo omoshirokatta desu.Yes, it was very interesting.
