減らします（へらします、herashimasu）
- to decrease (transitive)

The Japanese verb 減らします (へらします, *herashimasu*) means "to reduce," "to decrease," "to cut down," or "to lower." It implies a decrease in quantity, amount, number, or size. The word suggests a deliberate action to make something less than it currently is. It can apply to various things, from objects and money to time, stress, or even the volume of sound. The base form of the verb is 減らす (*herasu*).

⚫︎ タバコを減らします。 Translation: I'll reduce my smoking. ⚫︎ 砂糖の量を減らします。 Translation: I'll cut down on the amount of sugar. ⚫︎ 残業時間を減らします。 Translation: I will reduce overtime hours.

⚫︎ 減らします is a polite form of the verb. It is used in situations where you want to be polite or formal. ⚫︎ You can use it in various contexts where something is being made smaller, less frequent, or less in quantity. ⚫︎ Use it when you are talking about what *you* will do or what someone *else* will do. For example, "I will reduce..." or "He will reduce..." ⚫︎ Use the plain form, 減らす (*herasu*), in less formal conversations with friends or family or when writing. ⚫︎ You can use it in the past tense （減らしました *herashimashita*）, the present progressive (減らしています *herashiteimasu*), and other verb conjugations.

⚫︎ The base form 減らす (*herasu*) is written in hiragana and kanji. ⚫︎ Kanji: 減らす ⚫︎ Hiragana: へらす ⚫︎ The okurigana (the hiragana following the kanji) is always らす (*rasu*). ⚫︎ The polite form 減らします (*herashimasu*) adds the polite suffix ます (*masu*) to the verb stem.

⚫︎ 少なくする (*sukunaku suru*) - to make less. This is a more general way to say "to reduce." ⚫︎ 減ずる (*genzuru*) - a more formal word for "to reduce." ⚫︎ 削減する (*sakugen suru*) - to cut back, to reduce (often used for budgets or expenses).

⚫︎ 増やす (*fuyasu*) - to increase, to add, to augment. ⚫︎ 増やす has the same structure as 減らします.

食費を 減らします ために、自炊を始めました。 ・Translation: To reduce food expenses, I started cooking at home. ・Explanation: This sentence describes an action taken (starting cooking at home) with the goal of reducing a cost (food expenses).

ストレスを 減らします ために、ヨガを始めました。 ・Translation: I started yoga to reduce stress. ・Explanation: This sentence tells us about starting yoga to lower stress.

The verb 減らす is formed from the kanji 減 (*gen*), which means "to decrease," "to diminish," and the verb suffix す (*su*), which makes the word a transitive verb. The root of the kanji 減 has roots in the idea of "lessening" or "subtracting" from an initial amount or quantity.