Japanese

すます

すます
Meaning: to finish; to clear; to listen attentively
Part of Speech: Verb

Listen to pronunciation

Show inflections Hide inflections

Verb inflections

Form Affirmative Negative
Present すます すまさない
Polite すまします すましません
Past すました すまさなかった
Polite + Past すましました すましませんでした
Te-form すまして すまさなくて
Potential すませる すませない
Passive すまされる すまされない
Causative すまさせる すまさせない
Imperative すませ すますな

Handwriting

す
ま
す

Example

She strained her ears to listen to the birds chirping in the distance.

Usage Notes

In this context, it means to sharpen one's senses to focus on a sound. Can also mean to finish a task (often '済ます') or act cool ('澄ます').

Sottaku

About Sottaku

Sottaku is an app for learning Chinese, Japanese, Korean, English, Spanish, French, German, and Italian with a strong focus on SRS. It includes automatic flashcard creation for hundreds of thousands of words, grammar breakdowns in example sentences, language-specific study packs where available, adaptive quizzes, mobile apps, a browser extension, and community features. Give it a try now! All learning content is free with no limits on flashcards or study time.

Sottaku is built to match the habits of successful learners. By using Sottaku, you will naturally learn in the most efficient way possible, as proven by countless success stories in the language learning community.

Free Forever

Access all grammar guides, quizzes, and flashcards without paying a cent. Quality education should be accessible to everyone.

Smart SRS System

Our flashcard system uses the FSRS algorithm (also used in Anki) to optimize your review schedule and maximize retention.

Comprehensive Content

From hanzi, kana, hangul, and European vocabulary basics to grammar and reading practice where available, we have lessons for every level. Practice with quizzes tailored to your skill.

Community Chat

Ask level-appropriate questions and get help from the community. Learn together with fellow learners across all 8 supported languages.