Konnichiwa mina san. kibun wa do des ka? ano, how do you say tabemashita. (tabemashita tte do hanasemaska?) "ta-be-ma-shi-ta" sorretemo, ta-be-ma -shta"? domo arigato gozimashta!

Konnichiwa! You'll often hear two ways to say *tabemashita* just as you wrote: *Tabemashita* - where the *I* in *mashIta* is heard OR *Tabemashta* - where you don't hear the *I* in *mashIta* Both ways are correct, though you'll probably more often hear the second one in colloquial languages. :D It's the same with *Desu* and *Des*. In formal situations, or even simply depending on each person, you may hear *Desu* with the last *U *clearly said. In other cases you'll just hear *Des*...without the last *U*. :shock: