行きます

Meaning

Japanese: 行きます
Romaji: ikimasu
Meaning: to go (polite present/future form)
Part of speech: Verb (Group I, 五段動詞)
Nuance / when to use: Used to politely state that you or someone will go somewhere, or to ask if someone will go.

Simple Explanation

• This is the polite form of the verb 行く (iku). It is used in most daily conversations.
• A common pattern is: [Person/Thing] は [Place] に 行きます。
• The ます-form (行きます) is polite; the dictionary form (行く) is plain/casual.

Mnemonic / Memory Trick

• Imagine the kanji 行 looks like a person at a crossroads (彳) deciding which way to go. The ます ending sounds like "must," so think, "I must go."
• Visualize a polite person at a train station saying, "Ikimasu!" as they board a train.

Mini Conversation (Cartoon Style)

Sakura 🌸: ケンジさん、明日どこに行きますか。
Kenji 🐼: 図書館に行きます。本を借ります。
Sakura 🌸: そうですか。私はデパートに行きます。
Kenji 🐼: いいですね。何時に帰りますか。
Sakura 🌸: ５時ごろ帰ります。

Romaji:
Sakura: Kenji-san, ashita doko ni ikimasu ka.
Kenji: Toshokan ni ikimasu. Hon o karimasu.
Sakura: Sō desu ka. Watashi wa depāto ni ikimasu.
Kenji: Ii desu ne. Nan-ji ni kaerimasu ka.
Sakura: Go-ji goro kaerimasu.

English:
Sakura: Kenji, where are you going tomorrow?
Kenji: I'm going to the library. I will borrow a book.
Sakura: I see. I'm going to the department store.
Kenji: That's nice. What time will you return?
Sakura: I will return around 5 o'clock.

Common Beginner Mistake

• Using the particle を instead of に for the destination.
  ❌ Incorrect: 学校を行きます。
  ✔ Correct: 学校に行きます。
• Explanation: The destination (where you go to) is marked with the particle に, not を. The particle を marks the direct object of a verb.

Practice Exercise

1. Choose the correct particle to complete the sentence.
   田中さんは銀行（　　）行きます。
   A) を
   B) に
   C) が
   Answer: B) に
   Explanation: The destination (bank) requires the particle に.

2. Convert the following sentence to the polite present/future form.
   彼は家へ行く。 (Kare wa ie e iku.)
   Answer: 彼は家へ行きます。 (Kare wa ie e ikimasu.)
   Explanation: Replace the dictionary form 行く with its polite ます-form, 行きます.

Study Tip

• Practice by saying where you will go today or tomorrow using the pattern "[Place] に 行きます" out loud.

Example Sentences (4–6)

Japanese:
私は学校に行きます。
Romaji:
Watashi wa gakkō ni ikimasu.
English:
I go to school.

Japanese:
明日、友達と公園に行きます。
Romaji:
Ashita, tomodachi to kōen ni ikimasu.
English:
Tomorrow, I will go to the park with a friend.

Japanese:
父は仕事に行きます。
Romaji:
Chichi wa shigoto ni ikimasu.
English:
My father goes to work.

Japanese:
今からスーパーに行きますか？
Romaji:
Ima kara sūpā ni ikimasu ka?
English:
Shall we go to the supermarket from now?