通います（かよいます、kayoimasu）
- to commute

The Japanese verb 通います (かよいます) primarily means "to go to regularly," "to commute," "to attend," or "to frequent" a place for a specific purpose. It implies a repeated action, a habitual visit, or ongoing attendance. It describes the act of traveling to and from a place on a regular basis. It's about a consistent pattern of going somewhere.

⚫︎学校に通います Translation: I go to school. ⚫︎ジムに通います Translation: I go to the gym. ⚫︎日本語学校に通います Translation: I attend a Japanese language school.

You use 通います when talking about regularly going somewhere for a purpose. This purpose can be anything from school or work to a hobby, lessons, or even medical appointments. It’s important that it's a recurring activity, not a one-time visit. You would often use it with the particle に, indicating the place you're going to. The nuance is about consistent movement toward a specific destination.

通います is written in kanji 通 and hiragana います. The kanji 通 means "to pass through" or "to go through". The okurigana (the suffix hiragana) is standard. The verb is written 通います (present affirmative), 通いません (present negative), 通いました (past affirmative), and 通いませんでした (past negative).

⚫︎行く (いく) - to go (general). While not a perfect synonym, it is the most basic word for "to go" and can sometimes be used in place of 通います depending on the context, but it doesn't carry the sense of regularity as strongly. ⚫︎通勤する (つうきんする) - to commute. This is a more formal and specific way to express commuting to work. ⚫︎出席する (しゅっせきする) - to attend (formal, usually for school or meetings).

⚫︎行かない (いかない) - not to go (general). ⚫︎辞める (やめる) - to quit, to stop (implies ceasing regular attendance).

毎日大学に通っています。 ・Translation: I go to university every day. ・Explanation: This sentence describes the habitual action of going to university on a daily basis, utilizing the present progressive form 通っています, showing that it's an ongoing routine.

私は毎週土曜日に水泳教室に通います。 ・Translation: I go to swimming class every Saturday. ・Explanation: This sentence shows regular attendance at a swimming class, indicating that it is a recurring activity.

The kanji 通 comes from the idea of "passing through" or "going through". It suggests a route or a path that is traveled frequently. The verb form likely developed from the general idea of regularly moving through a space or area to get to a specific destination.