Demystifying the Japanese Verb "Kikimasu" – A Listener‘s Guide

Hey friend! Have you ever watched anime or tried having a conversation in Japanese, only to be confused when the word "kikimasu" pops up? As a fellow fan of Japanese culture, I‘ve been there too!

Kikimasu is one of those verbs that‘s incredibly common, but also complex in meaning. In this in-depth guide, we‘ll break down everything you need to know about kikimasu to go from confusion to mastery.

Kikimasu 101 – The Core Meaning

First things first, kikimasu (聞きます) literally means "to listen" or "to hear". If a Japanese person‘s talking and you want to convey that you‘re listening closely, kikimasu is the verb you want to use.

For example, you could say:

"Hai, kikimasu. Oshiete kudasai." – "Yes, I‘m listening. Please tell me."

Or maybe:

"Sono oto o kiite imasu." – "I‘m listening to that sound."

So at its core, it‘s all about actively focusing your sense of hearing on something. Easy enough so far!

When "Listening" Means "Asking"

Now here‘s where it gets interesting. Kikimasu doesn‘t stop at just literal listening – it can also mean "to ask" in the sense of making an inquiry or requesting information!

For example, if you wanted to ask a stranger on the street for directions, you could say:

"Sumimasen, eki wa doko desu ka? Oshiete kudasai to kikimasu." – "Excuse me, where is the train station? I‘m asking you to tell me."

See what happened there? Because you‘re asking for information by listening to their response, kikimasu takes on the extended meaning of "to ask".

Polite Listening

There‘s one more nuance that explains why kikimasu comes up so often in Japanese. It can also be used as a polite or humble form of "to say" or "to tell" someone something.

You‘ll see this especially when speaking formally or to someone of higher social status. For instance, in a business setting you may say:

"Shachou, honjitsu wa 15-ji ni kaigi ga aru to omoimasu. Oshiete kudasai to kikimasu." – "President, I believe there is a meeting at 15:00 today. Let me humbly tell you that."

By using kikimasu rather than a more direct verb like ‘iu‘, the statement becomes more polite and formal.

So in summary:

• Listening → Kikimasu
• Asking → Kikimasu
• Telling (humbly) → Kikimasu

This versatility makes kikimasu super useful in daily conversation!

Conjugation and Grammar

Time for a quick Japanese grammar lesson! As a Group 1 verb, kikimasu is conjugated like this:

• Plain present: kiku
• Polite present: kikimasu
• Plain past: kiita
• Polite past: kikimashita
• Negative: kikimasen

You‘ll usually hear it in the polite present tense – kikimasu. But in casual settings like with friends, the plain present kiku may be used instead.

Some examples in sentences:

• Kare no iu koto o kiku – (I) listen to what he says

• Sensei no jugyou o kiite imasu – (I‘m) listening to the teacher‘s lesson

• Kikimashou ka? – Shall we listen/ask?

See how kikimasu shifts between meanings based on context? The grammar stays the same, but the implication changes.

Comparing Kikimasu to Similar Verbs

There are a few other handy Japanese verbs in the "listening" category that are good to know:

• Kikitoru – Focuses more on carefully listening to fully hear/understand.

• Kiite miru – Means "try listening/asking" (the ~te miru structure adds the nuance of trying/experimenting).

• Ukagau – A really polite, humble way of saying "asking" in formal situations.

• Kuchou – Specifically means "listening to complaints or grievances".

• Otou – A fancy literary way to say "listen", like for music performances.

While kikimasu is the most versatile and common, these alternatives allow you to tailor your speech to different listening scenarios. The more options you have, the more precise and native-like your Japanese will become!

Essential Sentence Patterns

I want to share some sentence patterns that will instantly level up your kikimasu skills:

• [Person] no koto o kikimasu – Listen to what [person] says

• Tanoshimi ni kikimasu – Look forward to listening happily

• Kikite kudasai – Please listen (polite request)

• [Thing] no oto o kikimasu – Listen for the sound of [thing]

• Kikitakunai koto o iwaremashita – They told me something I didn‘t want to hear

• Sumimasen ga, oshiete kudasai to kikimashita – Excuse me, but I humbly asked you to teach me (super polite)

• Jaa, kikimashou ka – Well then, shall we listen/ask?

Plug in the vocab you‘re learning and get comfortable with these patterns. You‘ll unlock the ability to express yourself in all kinds of listening scenarios.

Kikimasu in Action!

Want to see some real examples of kikimasu being used in dialogue? Here are a few:

Taro: Sumimasen, ima nanji desu ka? (Excuse me, what time is it now?)

Hanako: Hai, juuichi ji han desu. (Yes, it‘s 11:30.)

Taro: Arigatou gozaimashita. Oshiete kudasai to kikimashita. (Thank you. I humbly asked you to tell me.)

Hanako: Dou itashimashite! (You‘re very welcome!)

In this exchange, Taro uses the polite "asked" meaning of kikimasu when thanking Hanako for answering his question about the time.

Here‘s another example:

Nurse: Go kibun wa dou desu ka? Oshiete kudasai to kikimasu. (How are you feeling? Let me ask you to tell me.)

Patient: Hidoku itai desu. Byouin ni ikimashou. (I feel extremely painful. Let‘s go to the hospital.)

Nurse: Hai, wakarimashita. Sugu ikimashou. (Understood. Let‘s go right away.)

The nurse uses kikimasu to politely ask about the patient‘s condition before they go to the hospital.

The Cultural Value of Attentive Listening

There‘s an important cultural insight tied to kikimasu and other "listening" verbs that I find fascinating.

In Japanese culture, active listening is viewed as a virtue and sign of respect. This traces back to practices like Buddhist mindfulness and the Japanese tea ceremony, where guests are served in silence to focus completely on the moment.

The value placed on receptive listening manifests itself in the language through verbs like kikimasu. So each time you use it properly, you‘re reinforcing an integral part of the culture!

Let‘s Review Kikimasu

We‘ve covered a ton of ground, so let‘s recap the key points:

• Kikimasu literally means "to listen/hear" but also implies "to ask" and "to say/tell (humbly)"

• It‘s conjugated as a Group 1 verb, with kiku as the plain present form

• Similar verbs provide nuanced alternatives for specific contexts

• It‘s extremely versatile in everyday conversation once you know the patterns

• Culturally, it represents the Japanese emphasis on attentive listening

I hope breaking down kikimasu this way eliminates any confusion for you. Thanks for sticking with me to the end! Now you have a solid grasp of this fundamental verb to step up your Japanese skills.

Ganbatte ne! Don‘t forget to keep those ears open.