友達に会います

The word 友達 (tomodachi) for 'friend' is a compound of 友 (tomo), meaning 'companion' or 'friend', and 達 (dachi), a pluralizing suffix often used for people. The verb 会います (aimasu) is the polite form of 会う (au), meaning 'to meet' or 'to see'. The particle に (ni) indicates the indirect object, specifying with whom or what the action of meeting is performed. The full phrase therefore literally translates to 'meet with friends' or 'see friends'. The components of 友達 have long histories in the Japanese language, with 友 being an ancient term, and 達 evolving in usage over centuries. 会う likewise is a foundational verb with roots in Old Japanese.