励まします（はげまします、hagemashiまsu）
- to encourage

The Japanese verb 励まします 励まします means "to encourage," "to cheer on," "to support," or "to give someone a boost." It involves providing words or actions to uplift someone's spirits, motivate them, or help them overcome a difficult situation. It often implies offering words of comfort, reassurance, or praise to help someone feel better or perform better.

⚫︎落ち込んでいる友達を励まします Translation: I encourage my friend who is feeling down. ⚫︎試合でチームメイトを励まします Translation: I cheer on my teammates at the game. ⚫︎困難な状況でも、彼はいつも私を励まします Translation: Even in difficult situations, he always encourages me.

⚫︎You can use 励まします in various contexts, such as when someone is feeling sad, struggling with a challenge, preparing for an important event, or needing motivation. ⚫︎It's common to use 励まします to show empathy, offer support, or boost someone's confidence. ⚫︎You can use it in both formal and informal situations, though the specific phrasing and level of politeness may vary. For instance, in a formal setting, you might use a more polite form of the verb.

⚫︎The verb 励まします 励まします is written in kanji as 励まします, with the reading はげまします. ⚫︎The verb stem is 励ま. ⚫︎The okurigana (hiragana attached to the kanji) is します. ⚫︎Variations exist depending on the politeness level and tense. For example: ⚫︎Present affirmative: 励まします 励まします (I encourage/am encouraging) ⚫︎Present negative: 励ましません (I do not encourage/am not encouraging) ⚫︎Past affirmative: 励ましました (I encouraged) ⚫︎Past negative: 励ましませんでした (I did not encourage) ⚫︎Volitional form (let's): 励ましましょう (Let's encourage!)

⚫︎応援します（おうえんします）- To support, to cheer on ⚫︎勇気づけます（ゆうきづけます）- To encourage, to embolden ⚫︎元気づけます（げんきづけます）- To cheer up, to invigorate ⚫︎励ます（はげます）- (This is the plain form of 励まします, thus technically the same verb)

There isn't a direct antonym, as 励まします describes a supportive action. However, actions that would have the opposite effect could be considered antonymous in context. For example: ⚫︎落胆させます（らくたんさせます）- to discourage ⚫︎がっかりさせます（がっかりさせます）- to disappoint

試験の結果が悪かった友達を励ましますために、一緒に勉強することにしました。 ・Translation: To encourage my friend who got bad results on the exam, I decided to study with them. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates how 励まします is used to provide emotional support and encouragement to someone who has faced a setback.

彼はプレゼンテーションの前に緊張していたので、私は彼を励ましました。 ・Translation: He was nervous before the presentation, so I encouraged him. ・Explanation: This example shows the act of offering comfort and support to someone prior to a performance.

The verb 励まします 励まします is formed from the verb 励ます, which comes from the kanji 励, meaning "to encourage," "to cheer," or "to urge on." The addition of します transforms it into a polite, ます-form verb. This kanji character reflects the core meaning of providing support and motivation to others.