Making a wish: 〜ますように

Verb in ます + ように, and the sentence ends there: it's a wish, a prayer. “May…”, “I hope…”. It's written on wooden wish plaques (えま) at shrines, or on Tanabata paper strips: 試験に 合格できますように.

• 試験に 合格できますように。しけんに ごうかくできますように。May I pass the exam.
• 母の 病気が 早く 治りますように。ははの びょうきが はやく なおりますように。I pray my mother gets better soon.
• みんなが 元気で いられますように。みんなが げんきで いられますように。May everyone stay healthy.
• あした 雨が 降りませんように。あした あめが ふりませんように。Please don't let it rain tomorrow.

You know ように meaning “so that”. If you keep only that part, without saying what you'll do, what's left is the wish: “so that…”, in other words “may…”. “I pray” or “I wish” is understood.

With the ます-form, the wish takes on a respectful tone, as if addressing the gods. It's the sentence you write at a shrine.

• いい 人に 会えますように。いい ひとに あえますように。May I meet someone nice.

Take the ます-form (or ません for a negative wish) and add ように. The verb is almost always something you don't control: a potential (できます, 会えます), a change (なります, 治ります), a natural phenomenon (降りません).

• 来年も いい 年に なりますように。らいねんも いい としに なりますように。May next year be another good year.
• かぞくが みんな 幸せで いられますように。かぞくが みんな しあわせで いられますように。May my whole family stay happy.

At New Year, people go to a shrine and write their wish on a small wooden plaque, the えま. On 7 July, for 七夕 (Tanabata), coloured paper strips are hung on bamboo branches. Both almost always end in 〜ますように.

You can also say outright that you're praying: 〜ように いのる, 〜ように 願う.

• 日本語が 上手に なりますように。にほんごが じょうずに なりますように。May I get good at Japanese. (written on a Tanabata strip)
• 母の 病気が 治るように、毎日 いのって います。ははの びょうきが なおるように、まいにち いのって います。I pray every day that my mother will get better.

The difference is simple: a wish stops after ように, and the verb is in the ます-form. A purpose (〜ように “so that”) is followed by an action, and the verb is in the plain form.

• わすれないように、メモします。わすれないように、メモします。I take notes so I don't forget. (purpose)
• わすれませんように。わすれませんように。I hope I don't forget. (wish)