開けます（あけます、akemasu）
- to open

The Japanese verb 開けます (あけます) means "to open" something. It implies the action of unclosing or making something accessible that was previously closed or shut. This can apply to doors, windows, packages, containers, etc. It generally describes the act of opening a physical object, but can also extend metaphorically to the act of "opening" a business or even "opening" someone's mind to a new idea. The meaning is very direct and straightforward. It's a versatile verb frequently used in everyday Japanese. The verb 開けます is the polite, ます-form, present/future tense of the verb 開く (hiragana: ひらく, meaning "to open" - intransitive).

⚫︎ドアを 開けます Translation: I open the door. ⚫︎窓を 開けますか？ Translation: Shall I open the window? ⚫︎プレゼントを 開けます Translation: I'll open the present.

⚫︎開けます is used when you are actively doing the action of "opening" something. ⚫︎It's generally used when speaking politely. ⚫︎It requires a direct object, indicated by the particle を (o), which marks what is being opened. ⚫︎It's common to use this verb when giving instructions or making requests. For example, if you want someone to open a window, you would say 窓を 開けます (Madio o akemasu). ⚫︎The use of 開けます depends on the context and the level of politeness needed in the situation. It's polite because it uses the "-masu" form.

⚫︎The word is written in kanji as 開けます. ⚫︎The reading is あけます in hiragana. ⚫︎The okurigana (the hiragana that follow the kanji) is "けます". ⚫︎The plain form is 開ける (あける), and this is the base form of the verb.

⚫︎While 開けます is the most common and direct word for "to open," here are some related words: ⚫︎開く (ひらく) - "to open" (intransitive - the object opens itself) ⚫︎開ける (あける) - same as 開けます but in the dictionary form (plain, non-polite) ⚫︎開口する (かいこうする) - "to open" (formal; used often for a business or a mouth opening).

⚫︎閉めます (しめます) - "to close" (polite, ます-form) ⚫︎閉まる (しまる) - "to close" (intransitive)

窓を 開けますから、少し涼しくなります。 ・Translation: I'll open the window, so it will become a little cooler. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the action of opening a window and the resulting effect (cooling down).

荷物を 開けます。何が入っているか見ましょう。 ・Translation: I will open the package. Let's see what's inside. ・Explanation: The sentence expresses the intention to open a package to discover its contents.

The kanji 開 (kai/hiraku/akeru) is composed of two parts: the 門 (mon/kado) which means “gate” or "door", and the 井 (i/ido) which represents well or a place. Originally the kanji represented "opening the gate of the well" to make it accessiable. Over time, the meaning expanded to encompass the broader concept of "opening" things. The verb form comes from the root 開く, which already existed. The "-masu" form adds politeness to the action.