躊躇います（ためらいます、tameraimasu）
- to hesitate

The Japanese word 躊躇います (ためらいます) means "to hesitate," "to waver," "to be reluctant," or "to be indecisive." It describes the act of pausing before doing something, often due to doubt, uncertainty, or fear. It implies a sense of reluctance or unwillingness to proceed immediately. The feeling is often a pause, such as when one is considering the pros and cons of a situation. The action of 躊躇います reflects an internal conflict about whether to do something. The base form of this verb is 躊躇う (ためらう). The polite form of the verb is [躊躇います] (ためらいます).

⚫︎彼はお金を借りることを躊躇いました Translation: He hesitated to borrow money. ⚫︎彼女は新しい仕事に応募することを躊躇いました Translation: She hesitated to apply for the new job. ⚫︎難しい質問に躊躇いながら答えた Translation: He answered the difficult question with hesitation.

⚫︎躊躇います is used in situations where someone is considering a course of action but is uncertain or hesitant about it. ⚫︎It's common to use it when someone is facing a difficult decision, is unsure about the consequences, or feels some degree of reluctance. ⚫︎It can be used in both formal and informal contexts, depending on the situation and the level of politeness needed. ⚫︎When speaking, 躊躇います is often used after describing the situation that caused the hesitation.

⚫︎The word is primarily written in hiragana as ためらいます. ⚫︎The kanji form is 躊躇います. ⚫︎The base form is 躊躇う (ためらう). ⚫︎The polite form, as shown, is 躊躇います (ためらいます). ⚫︎The okurigana (送りがな) for the verb is う, which changes based on the conjugation.

⚫︎迷います (まよいます) - To get lost, to be uncertain, to hesitate. ⚫︎戸惑います (とまどいます) - To be bewildered, to be perplexed, to hesitate. ⚫︎ためらいます is itself a synonym. ⚫︎ぐずぐずします (ぐずぐずします) - To dawdle; to procrastinate. ⚫︎躊躇 (ちゅうちょ) - Hesitation (noun)

⚫︎決意します (けついします) - To decide; to make up one's mind; to determine. ⚫︎即断します (そくだんします) - To decide immediately. ⚫︎断言します (だんげんします) - To state categorically; to assert; to declare.

初めてのプレゼンテーションで、彼は少し躊躇いましたが、最終的には自信を持って話しました。 ・Translation: At his first presentation, he hesitated a little, but ultimately spoke with confidence. ・Explanation: This sentence describes someone's initial hesitation before overcoming it to speak confidently.

彼女は彼の申し出を断ることに躊躇いを感じましたが、最終的には断りました。 ・Translation: She felt hesitation in refusing his offer, but ultimately declined. ・Explanation: This sentence explains that the person had hesitation but proceeded to refuse.

The kanji 躊躇 is a combination of two characters: 躊, meaning "to hesitate", and 躇, which also means "to hesitate" or "to step back". Therefore, the word is built upon the idea of stepping back and forth and hence the meaning of hesitating. The etymology reflects the core meaning of hesitation and indecision. This verb came from the combination of ためらい, hesitation (noun), with the polite verb suffix ます, resulting in ためらいます. The verb ためらう is the root form.