When using 持ちます (mochimasu), it's helpful to understand its nuances beyond just 'to hold' or 'to carry'. While it frequently translates to these actions, it can also imply having something in one's possession, or even maintaining something in a certain state. For instance, you might say 「荷物を持ちます」 (nimotsu o mochimasu) for 'I carry luggage'. However, you could also use it in a phrase like 「やる気を持ちます」 (yaruki o mochimasu) meaning 'I have motivation', indicating possession of an abstract concept. Another common usage is in situations like 「会議を持ちます」 (kaigi o mochimasu), which means 'to hold a meeting'. So, while the core idea is about possession or physical handling, its application can be quite broad, extending to abstract ideas and events.
When discussing the verb "持ちます" (mochimasu), meaning to hold or carry, it's useful to explore its nuances, particularly in more advanced contexts. While its basic meaning is straightforward, at a C1 level, you should be aware of its extended uses.
For example, "持ちます" can also imply "to possess" or "to own," not just physically holding something. Consider phrases like 「私は車を持っています」 (Watashi wa kuruma wo motte imasu), which means "I own a car," rather than "I am carrying a car."
Furthermore, it can refer to bearing a responsibility or a characteristic, as in 「彼は強い意志を持っています」 (Kare wa tsuyoi ishi wo motte imasu), meaning "He has a strong will." Understanding these broader applications enriches your comprehension and allows for more sophisticated expression.
Another common advanced usage is in the context of time or duration, such as 「このバッテリーはよく持ちます」 (Kono batterī wa yoku mochimasu), meaning "This battery lasts a long time." This subtle extension of "holding" or "maintaining" is a key aspect of C1 understanding.
§ What "持ちます" means
- Japanese Word
- 持ちます (mochimasu)
- Part of Speech
- Verb
- CEFR Level
- A2
- Definition
- To hold, to carry
§ Understanding the basics of "持ちます"
The verb 持ちます (mochimasu) is a fundamental word in Japanese. Its core meanings are "to hold" and "to carry." Think of it as physically having something in your possession, either in your hand or with you as you move. This is a very common verb you'll hear and use daily.
§ Using "持ちます" at work
In a work setting, 持ちます is often used to talk about documents, equipment, or personal items you bring to meetings or work sites. It's polite and clear. Here are a few ways it's used:
- Talking about what you have with you.
- Asking if someone has something.
- Confirming what needs to be brought.
会議に資料を持ちますu3002
- Hint
- I will bring the materials to the meeting.
スマホを持っていますか？
- Hint
- Do you have your smartphone?
§ Using "持ちます" at school
In a school context, 持ちます is frequently heard when talking about school supplies, homework, or things students need for class. Teachers might ask about it, or students might use it among themselves.
本を持ってきてください。
- Hint
- Please bring your book.
宿題を持っています。
- Hint
- I have my homework.
§ "持ちます" in daily life and news
Beyond work and school, 持ちます is part of everyday conversations and even news reports when discussing personal belongings or items being transported. It's broadly applicable to anything that can be held or carried.
自分の荷物は自分で持ちます。
- Hint
- I will carry my own luggage.
傘を持って出かけました。
- Hint
- I went out carrying an umbrella.
The Japanese verb 持ちます (mochimasu) is a fundamental word to know. It broadly means 'to hold' or 'to carry.' However, like many verbs, its usage extends beyond these simple definitions. Let's break down how to use it correctly.
§ Basic Meaning: To Hold/Carry
At its core, 持ちます refers to the physical act of holding something in your hand or carrying something with you. Think of it as having something in your possession, either temporarily or for a longer period.
- Japanese Word
- 持ちます (mochimasu)
- CEFR Level
- A2
- Definition
- To hold, to carry
§ Examples of "To Hold"
When you're actively gripping something, 持ちます is the verb you'll use.
ペンを持ちます。
Translation hint: I hold a pen.
このカバンを持ってください。
Translation hint: Please hold this bag.
§ Examples of "To Carry"
When you transport something from one place to another, 持ちます is also appropriate.
傘を持っていきます。
Translation hint: I will carry an umbrella (take an umbrella with me).
荷物を持って、駅に行きます。
Translation hint: I carry my luggage and go to the station.
§ Beyond Physical Holding: Other Uses
持ちます isn't just about physical objects. It can also imply possession, a characteristic, or responsibility.
- To possess/own:
彼はお金を持っています。
Translation hint: He has money.
- To have a characteristic/quality:
彼は強い意志を持っています。
Translation hint: He has a strong will.
- To take responsibility (in some contexts):
私がその責任を持ちます。
Translation hint: I will take that responsibility.
§ Similar words and when to use this one vs alternatives
While 持ちます is very versatile, there are other verbs that might seem similar but have different nuances. Understanding these differences will help you sound more natural.
- 持ちます vs. 運びます (hakobimasu)
Both can mean 'to carry,' but there's a distinction:
- 持ちます: Implies simply having something in hand or with you, often suggesting a lighter item or a more personal act of carrying.
- 運びます (hakobimasu): Focuses more on the act of transporting something, often heavier items, or moving things from one distinct location to another, sometimes with more effort or using equipment.
彼女は本を持っています。
Translation hint: She is holding a book.
引っ越し業者（ひっこしぎょうしゃ）が家具（かぐ）を運びます。
Translation hint: The movers transport the furniture.
- 持ちます vs. あります (arimasu) / います (imasu)
Both can convey possession, but their usage depends on the type of noun.
- 持ちます: Specifically for items that you physically hold or could hold, or for abstract qualities/responsibilities.
- あります (arimasu): Used for the existence or possession of inanimate objects.
- います (imasu): Used for the existence or possession of animate objects (people, animals).
私はパスポートを持っています。
Translation hint: I have a passport.
部屋に机（つくえ）があります。
Translation hint: There is a desk in the room. (The room has a desk.)
庭に猫（ねこ）がいます。
Translation hint: There is a cat in the garden. (The garden has a cat.)
Common Collocations
Common Phrases
これは私が持ちます。
I will carry this.
手で持ってください。
Please hold it with your hand.
彼がカバンを持っています。
He is holding the bag.
傘を持って出かけます。
I will go out with an umbrella.
荷物を持つのを手伝いましょうか？
Shall I help you carry your luggage?
このペンを持って書いてください。
Please take this pen and write.
彼女は赤ちゃんを抱きしめていました。
She was holding the baby closely.
重い荷物を持つのは大変です。
Carrying heavy luggage is tough.
彼は何も持っていません。
He is not holding anything.
両手で持ってきてください。
Please bring it with both hands.
Grammar Patterns
Sentence Patterns
〜を 持ちます (mōchimasu)
本を 持ちます。 (Hon o mōchimasu.) Hint: I hold a book.
〜を 持っています (mōtte imasu)
かばんを 持っています。 (Kaban o mōtte imasu.) Hint: I have/am carrying a bag.
どこに 持ちますか (doko ni mōchimasu ka)
どこに 荷物を 持ちますか。 (Doko ni nimotsu o mōchimasu ka?) Hint: Where should I carry the luggage?
〜が 持ちます (ga mōchimasu)
この椅子は 100キロまで 持ちます。 (Kono isu wa hyaku kiro made mōchimasu.) Hint: This chair can hold up to 100 kg.
〜を 持って行きます (mōtte ikimasu)
お弁当を 持って行きます。 (Obentō o mōtte ikimasu.) Hint: I will take my bento (lunchbox).
〜を 持って来ます (mōtte kimasu)
傘を 持って来てください。 (Kasa o mōtte kite kudasai.) Hint: Please bring an umbrella.
〜に 荷物を 持ちます (ni nimotsu o mōchimasu)
手で 荷物を 持ちます。 (Te de nimotsu o mōchimasu.) Hint: I will carry the luggage by hand.
〜を 持って帰りましょう (mōtte kaerimashō)
このお土産を 持って帰りましょう。 (Kono omiyage o mōtte kaerimashō.) Hint: Let's take this souvenir home.
How to Use It
When using 持ちます (mochimasu), remember it's a versatile verb for holding or carrying objects. It can refer to holding something in your hand, like a bag (鞄を持ちます - kaban o mochimasu), or carrying something with you, such as a passport when traveling (パスポートを持ちます - pasupōto o mochimasu). It can also be used for holding abstract concepts, like responsibility (責任を持ちます - sekinin o mochimasu).
A common mistake is confusing 持ちます (mochimasu) with 保ちます (tamochimasu). While both involve 'holding,' 保ちます (tamochimasu) specifically means to maintain or preserve a state or condition, like maintaining a good relationship (良い関係を保ちます - yoi kankei o tamochimasu), not physically holding an object. Another mistake is forgetting the particle を (o) when indicating the direct object being held or carried. Always use the structure: [object] を 持ちます.
Practice in Real Life
Real-World Contexts
When offering to hold something for someone.
- お手伝いしましょうか？ (O-tetsudai shimashō ka?) - Can I help you?
- 持ちましょうか？ (Mochimashō ka?) - Shall I hold it for you?
- 私が持ちます。(Watashi ga mochimasu.) - I'll hold it.
When asking if someone is holding something.
- 何か持っていますか？ (Nani ka motte imasu ka?) - Are you holding anything?
- 傘を持っていますか？ (Kasa o motte imasu ka?) - Do you have an umbrella?
- 荷物、持ちますか？ (Nimotsu, mochimasu ka?) - Will you carry the luggage?
When describing what someone is carrying.
- 彼は本を持っています。(Kare wa hon o motte imasu.) - He is holding a book.
- 彼女はバッグを持っています。(Kanojo wa baggu o motte imasu.) - She is carrying a bag.
- 私がその箱を持ちます。(Watashi ga sono hako o mochimasu.) - I will carry that box.
When talking about having or possessing something (less common, but 'motsu' can imply possession).
- 彼は才能を持っています。(Kare wa sainō o motte imasu.) - He possesses talent.
- 私たちは夢を持っています。(Watashitachi wa yume o motte imasu.) - We have dreams.
- あなたは強い心を持っていますね。(Anata wa tsuyoi kokoro o motte imasu ne.) - You have a strong heart, don't you?
When offering to take something to someone.
- これを彼に持ちます。(Kore o kare ni mochimasu.) - I'll take this to him.
- お土産を持って帰ります。(Omiyage o motte kaerimasu.) - I'll bring back souvenirs.
- この書類を会議室に持ちます。(Kono shorui o kaigishitsu ni mochimasu.) - I'll take these documents to the meeting room.
Conversation Starters
"今、何か重いものを持っていますか？ (Ima, nani ka omoi mono o motte imasu ka?) - Are you holding anything heavy right now?"
"旅行中、どんなお土産を持ちましたか？ (Ryokōchū, donna omiyage o mochimashita ka?) - What kind of souvenirs did you carry during your trip?"
"もし友達が荷物をたくさん持っていたら、どう手伝いますか？ (Moshi tomodachi ga nimotsu o takusan motte itara, dō tetsudaimasu ka?) - If a friend was carrying a lot of luggage, how would you help them?"
"あなたのバッグの中にいつも持っている大切なものは何ですか？ (Anata no baggu no naka ni itsumo motte iru taisetsu na mono wa nan desu ka?) - What is something important you always carry in your bag?"
"初めて日本に来た時、どんな期待を持っていましたか？ (Hajimete Nihon ni kita toki, donna kitai o motte imashita ka?) - What expectations did you hold when you first came to Japan?"
Journal Prompts
今日、あなたが持っていた中で一番重いものは何でしたか？その時、どう感じましたか？ (Kyō, anata ga motte ita naka de ichiban omoi mono wa nan deshita ka? Sono toki, dō kanjimashita ka?) - What was the heaviest thing you carried today? How did you feel then?
もし一つだけ未来に持っていけるものがあるとしたら、何を選びますか？その理由も教えてください。(Moshi hitotsu dake mirai ni motte ikeru mono ga aru to shitara, nani o erabimasu ka? Sono riyū mo oshiete kudasai.) - If you could only take one thing with you into the future, what would you choose? Please tell me the reason too.
あなたの人生で、誰かの期待を背負った経験はありますか？それは良い経験でしたか？(Anata no jinsei de, dareka no kitai o seotta keiken wa arimasu ka? Sore wa yoi keiken deshita ka?) - In your life, have you ever carried someone's expectations? Was it a good experience?
あなたが毎日持ち歩いている中で、一番役立つものは何ですか？ (Anata ga mainichi mochiaruite iru naka de, ichiban yakudatsu mono wa nan desu ka?) - Among the things you carry every day, what is the most useful?
「持っている」という言葉を使って、あなたの好きな場所や人について説明してください。 (”Motte iru” toiu kotoba o tsukatte, anata no suki na basho ya hito ni tsuite setsumei shite kudasai.) - Using the word "to have/hold," describe a place or person you like.
Test Yourself 30 questions
What is being held?
Who is holding the bag?
What is he holding?
Read this aloud:
私は傘を持ちます。
Focus: 持ちます (mochimasu)
You said:
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Read this aloud:
彼は荷物を持ちます。
Focus: 荷物 (nimotsu)
You said:
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Read this aloud:
彼女は花を持ちます。
Focus: 花 (hana)
You said:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Choose the correct particle for this sentence: 彼女はバッグを___持っています。
The particle 'を (o)' is used to mark the direct object of a transitive verb like '持ちます (mochimasu - to hold/carry)'. In this sentence, 'バッグ (baggu - bag)' is the direct object.
Which sentence correctly uses '持ちます' to mean 'to carry'?
The sentence '彼は重い荷物を持ちます (Kare wa omoi nimotsu o mochimasu)' translates to 'He carries heavy luggage,' which is a direct use of '持ちます' meaning 'to carry.' The other options are either grammatically awkward or imply 'to hold' rather than 'to carry.'
What is the most natural way to say 'I will bring a gift' using '持ちます' in a future context?
While '私はプレゼントを持ちます (Watashi wa purezento o mochimasu)' can mean 'I will carry a gift,' '持って行きます (motte ikimasu)' is more natural for 'to bring (something somewhere)' as it explicitly includes the idea of movement. '持っています (motte imasu)' means 'I have/am holding,' and '持ちました (mochimashita)' is past tense.
You can use '持ちます' to say 'I have a car'.
While '持ちます' can mean 'to possess' in some contexts, for inanimate objects like a car, '持っています (motte imasu)' or '所有しています (shoyu shite imasu)' are more common and natural for 'to have/possess'.
The phrase '荷物を持つ (nimotsu o motsu)' means 'to carry luggage'.
'荷物を持つ (nimotsu o motsu)' literally means 'to hold/carry luggage', and it is commonly used in this context to mean 'to carry luggage'.
When referring to holding a belief or opinion, '持ちます' can be used.
'持ちます' can indeed be used to express holding abstract concepts like beliefs or opinions, for example, '意見を持つ (iken o motsu - to hold an opinion)'.
This sentence contrasts what 'he' has with what 'she' didn't have, using '持ちます' in its continuous and negative past forms.
This sentence expresses inability to hold/carry due to weight, utilizing the potential form of '持つ'.
Here, '持ちます' is used in a more abstract sense, meaning to 'bring' or 'carry' an emotion or atmosphere.
This sentence means 'He is holding important documents.' The standard Japanese sentence structure places the subject, then the object with its particle, and finally the verb.
This sentence means 'She was carrying an old umbrella.' The order is subject, then adjective describing the object, the object with its particle, and finally the verb in the past tense.
This question means 'Who has this key?' The topic ('this key') is marked with は, and the question word ('who') is followed by the subject particle が, then the verb and question particle か.
This sentence means, 'He always maintains his composure even in difficult situations.' The word '持ちます' in its polite form '保ちます' is used here to mean 'maintain' or 'keep'.
This sentence translates to, 'That company possesses high technical capabilities. Therefore, it has competitiveness in the market.' '持ちます' is used to express possession or having a certain quality.
This sentence means, 'This old building holds historical value.' Here, '持ちます' signifies 'to possess' or 'to have' a certain characteristic or value.
/ 30 correct
Perfect score!
Related Content
Related Grammar Rules
More general words
いくつか
B1An unspecified small number of things; some, a few.
ちょっと
A2A little; a moment; a bit. Small amount or short time.
すこし
A2A little; a few.
さっき
A2A little while ago; a short time past.
能力
A1Nouryoku refers to the mental or physical power, skill, or capacity required to perform a specific task or function. It can describe both innate talent and skills acquired through learning and practice.
異常
A1A word used to describe something that deviates from the normal state, standard, or expected pattern. It often implies a problem, malfunction, or an extraordinary occurrence that requires attention or investigation.
～について
A2About, concerning; indicates topic.
〜について
B1About, concerning; on the subject of.
～ぐらい
A2about, approximately
ぐらい
A2About; approximately; to the extent of.
