長引きます（ながびきます、nagabikimasu）
- to prolong

The Japanese verb 長引きます (ながびきます) means "to be prolonged," "to be drawn out," "to be delayed," or "to drag on." It describes a situation or event that lasts longer than expected or is anticipated. It implies an extension of time, often to an undesirable degree. 長引きます usually suggests a sense of unwanted or unnecessary prolongation.

⚫︎会議が長引きました。 Translation: The meeting was prolonged. ⚫︎風邪が長引いています。 Translation: My cold is dragging on. ⚫︎試合が雨で長引くかもしれません。 Translation: The game might be prolonged due to rain.

⚫︎You can use 長引きます when something takes longer than planned, expected, or desired. ⚫︎It's applicable in various contexts, such as meetings, illnesses, events, and processes. ⚫︎It is generally used in formal or polite conversation. ⚫︎The subject of 長引きます can be anything that has duration, like a meeting, a process, a sickness, or a period. ⚫︎Common phrases include 時間が長引きます（time is prolonged） or 議論が長引きます（the discussion is prolonged）.

⚫︎The base form of the verb is 長引く (ながびく). ⚫︎The polite form, as used in the prompt, is 長引きます, which is the polite -ます form. ⚫︎It is written using the kanji 長 (long), the hiragana び, and the hiragana きます ⚫︎There is no variation in the okurigana for this verb in common usage.

⚫︎延びます (のびます) - to be extended, to be prolonged ⚫︎遅れます (おくれます) - to be delayed, to be late ⚫︎長くなる (ながくなる) - to become long, to become prolonged ⚫︎長ずる (ちょうずる) - (more literary) to prolong

⚫︎短くなります (みじかくなります) - to become shorter ⚫︎終わります (おわります) - to end ⚫︎早まります (はやまります) - to be hastened, to be advanced

今日の会議は内容が濃かったため、いつもより長引きました。 ・Translation: Today's meeting was packed with content, so it went on longer than usual. ・Explanation: This sentence explains why the meeting was 長引きました, due to its substantial content.

病気が長引きますと、心身ともに疲れます。 ・Translation: When an illness drags on, both the body and mind become tired. ・Explanation: This sentence shows the negative impact of a 長引きます illness on the physical and mental state.

The word 長引きます is a compound verb. ⚫︎長 (naga) itself means "long." ⚫︎引く (biku) means "to pull, to draw, or to extend." ⚫︎Therefore, the combination essentially means "to draw out long" or "to prolong."