増します（まします、mashiまsu）
- to increase

The Japanese word 増します (まします) means "to increase," "to grow," "to be augmented," or "to be amplified." It describes a process of adding to something, making it larger, more numerous, or more intense. This verb often suggests a gradual change or development over time. 増します is the polite, ます-form of the verb 増える (ふえる, to increase, to multiply) or the causative form of 増やす (ふやす, to increase, to add). 増します is a versatile word, applicable in various contexts, from economic growth to the intensifying of emotions.

⚫︎売り上げが増します Translation: The sales increase. ⚫︎彼の熱意が増します Translation: His enthusiasm grows. ⚫︎人口が増します Translation: The population increases.

⚫︎増します is a polite verb, suitable for both formal and informal situations, especially when speaking to someone of higher status or when wanting to express politeness. ⚫︎It's often used in business contexts, news reports, and formal conversations. ⚫︎You can use it to talk about the increase in quantifiable things (like numbers or amounts) or abstract concepts (like feelings or qualities). ⚫︎When constructing sentences with 増します, the subject typically precedes the verb, indicating what is increasing.

⚫︎The word is most commonly written in kanji as 増します. ⚫︎The reading in hiragana is まします. ⚫︎The verb stem is 増 (ま) and the polite suffix is ます. ⚫︎Other forms of the verb include: ⚫︎増える (ふえる) - plain form, to increase, multiply ⚫︎増やす (ふやす) - causative form, to increase, add ⚫︎増えた (ふえた) - past tense of 増える, increased ⚫︎増える, 増やす have variations with okurigana, as shown above.

⚫︎増える (ふえる) - to increase (more general, less formal) ⚫︎増加する (ぞうかする) - to increase (more formal, noun form plus する) ⚫︎高まる (たかまる) - to rise, increase (used for things like emotions or quality) ⚫︎伸びる (のびる) - to grow, extend (often used for growth in length or size) ⚫︎膨らむ (ふくらむ) - to expand, swell

⚫︎減ります (へります) - to decrease (polite form) ⚫︎減る (へる) - to decrease (plain form) ⚫︎減少する (げんしょうする) - to decrease (formal) ⚫︎少なくなる (すくなくなる) - to become fewer, to decrease

経済が増しますように、政府は対策を講じました。 ・Translation: The government took measures so that the economy would increase. ・Explanation: This sentence illustrates how 増します can be used in a formal context to discuss economic growth, showing the government's actions to achieve a positive outcome.

彼のやる気が増しますように、上司は彼を褒めました。 ・Translation: The boss praised him so that his motivation would increase. ・Explanation: This example demonstrates using 増します to describe the increase of an abstract concept (やる気 - motivation), highlighting the impact of the boss's actions.

The kanji 増 (ぞう, ま) is composed of two parts: the left side represents "soil" or "earth," and the right side originally depicted a cooking pot. Over time, it came to be associated with adding to something, hence the meaning of "to increase" or "to grow." The verb ます is a polite auxiliary verb, used to express politeness. Therefore, 増します combines the meaning of "to increase" with the politeness of the ます-form.