Being polite in Japanese is as easy as understanding basic verb conjugations and knowing when to use honorifics, but did you know there’s another tier of formality beyond “polite?” Japanese keigo is an additional style of speech within the Japanese language reserved for formal situations when you want to leave a great impression. However, it’s not enough to know the words themselves—you’ll need to understand what you can say to whom and why.
This guide demystifies the three categories of keigo below, including the relevant verbs, nouns, and examples. Between the charts and etiquette tips, you’ll have all the tools necessary to be polite and professional when speaking in Japanese.
Table of Contents
What does keigo mean?
In Japanasese, Keigo (敬語) literally means “respectful language,” and it includes the words, expressions, and grammar that make up formal speech. It’s also referred to as “honorific” language, but it’s not to be confused with Japanese honorific suffixes that function as titles. This style of speech is considered by most to be advanced, requiring extra dedication to master.
In a recent survey of 500 people working in an editing department at a Japanese website, more than 80% said knowing how to use keigo is essential, but only 21.8% had confidence in their ability to use it. In another survey, only 12% of the 1,000 people surveyed said they had confidence in their use of keigo. So, if keigo seems challenging to you, don’t worry: You’re in good company with native speakers and Japanese language learners alike.
Like with any skill, using formal Japanese is the best way to develop proficiency. Try finding a conversation partner or a Japanese tutor to practice with.
What are the three types of keigo?
There are three types of keigo that are used based on the situation: sonkeigo (尊敬語) to show respect for others, kenjōgo (謙譲語) to be humble about yourself, and teineigo (丁寧語) for general politeness. It’s possible—and even likely—to use all three in the same conversation depending on who is talking to whom.
- Sonkeigo: To refer to a boss, professor, customer, or other person and their actions that the speaker wishes to express high respect for
- Kenjōgo: To talk about yourself and your actions (or those of people in your group) when speaking to someone you are showing high respect for
- Teineigo: Used in polite conversation, even if sonkeigo or kenjōgo are not being used
For example, picture yourself at an annual work party. If you were to introduce your spouse to your boss, you would use kenjōgo when telling your boss who they are. Conversely, you would use sonkeigo to introduce your boss to your spouse.
When do you use keigo?
Keigo is primarily used in business and formal situations, so you’re unlikely to encounter it often. However, it makes an excellent impression when used correctly and at the right time, so it’s worth having even a rudimentary understanding of it.
It’s also very easy to fall into the trap of using too much keigo. Watch out for these overuses of formal Japanese language:
- Using sonkeigo and kenjōgo among peers is usually unnecessary. The polite verb conjugations and terms used in teineigo are often found in standard Japanese, so they are acceptable in almost every social situation.
- When conjugating Japanese verbs, compounding additional formal conjugations on top of a verb that is already specific to keigo isn’t necessary.
- If someone tells you that you don’t need to use keigo with them, respect their wishes and listen to them.
Sonkeigo: Showing respect in Japanese
Sonkeigo is used to show respect or deference to another person. This can include your professor, your boss, or a customer.
It’s essential to remember that these rules apply to the person or people you’re respecting. When using the words and conjugations in this section, make sure they’re referring to another person’s actions and not your own!
Honorifics
One of the essential components of sonkeigo is using a Japanese honorific when referring to the person being respected. These titles—similar to Mr. or Ms.—go at the end of a person’s name. Rather than calling someone “Miss Takeda,” you might call them “Takeda-san.” Conveniently, the majority of honorifics are gender neutral and can be used for anyone regardless of age.
There are nuances and specific situations to each of these honorifics, which can cause some confusion. If you aren’t sure which one to use, san is usually the safest option.
| Japanese | Romanization | Use |
| ～さん | -san | general sign of respect |
| ～様 | -sama | highly respectful, often used in official correspondence |
| ～殿 | -dono | highly respectful, primarily used in work contexts toward customers or higher level coworkers |
| ～氏 | -shi | highly formal, intended for strangers |
| 先生 | sensei | teacher; doctor; expert |
| 先輩 | senpai | older classmate at school or in an extracurricular activity |
Verbs
Certain verbs in sonkeigo use entirely different words than standard Japanese. Thankfully, they generally follow the same conjugation rules. Because verbs are one of the core Japanese parts of speech, be sure to commit these to memory to use them effectively.
| Sonkeigo | Standard Japanese | English |
| いらっしゃる irassharu | いる ・来る・行く iru; kuru; iku | to be/exist; -ing; to come; to go |
| 召し上がる meshiagaru | 食べる・飲む taberu; nomu | to eat; to drink |
| くださる kudasaru | くれる kureru | to give (to the recipient from the person being respected) |
| おっしゃる ossharu | 言う iu | to say |
| ご覧になる goran ni naru | 見る miru | to see; to watch |
| ご存じです gozonji desu | 知る shiru | to know |
| なさる nasaru | する suru | to do |
For all other verbs, there’s a simple formula to change the dictionary form to the sonkeigo form. Remember that the “verb stem” is the part of the word that goes before masu in masu-form Japanese verb conjugation.
- o [verb stem] ni naru（お [verb stem] になる）
In some cases, the o becomes go instead. Generally speaking, if the word is based on native Japanese sounds (kun’yomi, 訓読み), it uses o. If the word is based on borrowed Chinese sounds (on’yomi, 音読み), the prefix go is used instead.
| Sonkeigo | Standard Japanese | English |
| お読みになる oyomi ni naru | 読む yomu | to read |
| お使いになる otsukai ni naru | 使う tsukau | to use |
| ご到着になる gotōchaku ni naru | 到着する tōchaku suru | to arrive |
Examples of sonkeigo in Japanese
Keigo uses the same grammar structure as standard Japanese, so the only thing you’ll need to change is the words used. The subject still goes at the beginning of the sentence and the verb still goes at the end.
Four of the special verbs used in sonkeigo have irregular conjugations. Instead of the final ru sound becoming ri or being dropped entirely as is typical, the final ru becomes i. You can see this in action in these example sentences using sonkeigo.
- Sensei wa hanashite irasshaimasu.（先生は話していらっしゃいます。）= The professor is speaking.
- Yamamoto-san wa raigetsu amerika ni ryokō nasaimasu.（山本さんは来月アメリカに旅行なさいます。）= Mr. Yamamoto is traveling to the United States next month.
- Nan to osshaimashita ka?（何とおっしゃいましたか？）= What did you say?
- Kaite kudasaimasu ka?（書いてくださいますか？）= Could you write it down for me?
Kenjōgo: Being humble in Japanese
The opposite of sonkeigo, kenjōgo is used to speak humbly about yourself and your actions. Just like how you must avoid referring to yourself with respectful language, it’s disrespectful to use humble language to refer to people you mean to speak highly of.
You don’t use honorifics in kenjōgo, but this chart shows special verbs to remember.
| Kenjōgo | Standard Japanese | English |
| 伺う ukagau | 来る・行く kuru; iku | to come; to go |
| おる oru | いる iru | to exist; -ing |
| 頂く itadaku | 食べる・飲む・貰う taberu; nomu; morau | to eat; to drink; to receive |
| 申し上げる mōshiageru | 言う iu | to say |
| 拝見する haiken suru | 見る miru | to see; to watch |
| お目にかかる o me ni kakaru | 会う au | to meet |
| 存じる zonjiru | 知る・思う shiru; omou | to know; to think |
| かしこまる・承知する kashikomaru; shōchi suru | 分かる wakaru | to understand |
| いたす itasu | する suru | to do |
For all other verbs, there’s another formula to change the dictionary form to the kenjōgo form. It’s very similar to the one used in sonkeigo, so make sure you’re using the correct form for the right situation.
- o [verb stem] suru（お [verb stem] する）
Just like with sonkeigo, if a word uses kun’yomi (native Japanese sounds) it generally uses the o prefix. If a word uses on’yomi (borrowed Chinese sounds), it usually uses the go prefix.
| Kenjōgo | Standard Japanese | English |
| お願いする onegai suru | 願うnegau | to request; to wish |
| お勧めする osusume suru | 進める susumeru | to recommend |
| ご案内する goannai suru | 案内する annai suru | to guide |
Examples of kenjōgo in Japanese
Although combining multiple methods of keigo is generally discouraged, the kenjōgo verb for “to do” (itasu) can be used instead of the standard word (suru) to create more formal sentences. The meaning is the same, but using itasu adds extra nuance.
- Odenwa shimasu.（お電話します。）= Odenwa itashimasu.（お電話いたします。）= I will call you.
- Shitsurei shimasu.（失礼します。）= Shitsurei itashimasu.（失礼いたします。）= Please, excuse me.
Some words in kenjōgo sound like common Japanese expressions, and that’s because they come from the same word. Politeness is a big part of Japanese culture, so many everyday phrases have their origins in formal language.
- Mō ippai itadakimasu.（もう一杯頂きます。）= I’ll take one more glass.
- Yoroshiku onegai shimasu.（よろしくお願いします。）= Please.; Thank you in advance.
Teineigo: Speaking politely in Japanese
Teineigo is used in many types of speech in Japanese because it simply means “polite language.” It’s used in sonkeigo to show respect, but you’ll also hear it in normal, everyday situations when people are speaking a little more formally out of politeness rather than using slang or other casual speech.
Verbs
The verb conjugation used for teineigo is the masu-form that pervades Japanese language learning. If you’ve learned how to change a verb from its dictionary form to a conjugation that ends in masu or mashita, that’s teineigo!
However, the word for “to exist (inanimate)” requires special attention. When using it in the context of keigo, the word gozaru replaces aru, and it conjugates into gozaimasu. Sound familiar? This word appears in a number of Japanese greetings, including the words for “thank you” (arigatō gozaimasu, ありがとうございます) and “good morning” (ohayō gozaimasu, おはようございます).
| Teineigo (masu-form) | Dictionary Form | English |
| 行きます ikimasu | 行く iku | to go |
| 食べます tabemasu | 食べる taberu | to eat |
| 言います iimasu | 言う iu | to say |
| 見ます mimasu | 見る miru | to see; to watch |
| 知ります shirimasu | 知る shiru | to know |
| します shimasu | する suru | to do |
| ございます gozaimasu | ある・ござる aru; gozaru | to exist (inanimate) |
Nouns
Some teineigo nouns are used on a daily basis, while others belong in more specific contexts. Like the difference between sonkeigo and kenjōgo, the extra polite words in teineigo should generally be reserved for the people you’re respecting and not for yourself or those in your own group or family. For example, you would refer to your own father as chichi (父) and your professor’s father as otōsama (お父様).
Words using kun’yomi (native Japanese sounds) typically start with the o prefix, while words using on’yomi (borrowed Chinese sounds) typically start with the go prefix. It’s worth remembering that these prefixes can’t just be added to any Japanese noun to make it polite. When in doubt, check a dictionary for the answer or go without the prefix.
| Teineigo | Standard Japanese | English |
| お父様 otōsama | 父 chichi | father |
| お母様 okāsama | 母 haha | mother |
| ご主人様 goshujinsama | 夫 otto | husband |
| 奥様 okusama | 妻 tsuma | wife |
| ご住所 gojūsho | 住所 jūsho | address |
| ご返事 gohenji | 返事 henji | response |
| ご上司 gojōshi | 上司 jōshi | boss |
| ご注文 gochūmon | 注文 chūmon | order |
| お名前 onamae | 名前 namae | name |
| お寿司 osushi | 寿司 sushi | sushi |
| お水 omizu | 水 mizu | water |
| お酒 osake | 酒 sake | alcohol; Japanese rice wine |
Examples of teineigo in Japanese
When meeting someone for the first time, a certain amount of politeness is expected. Look at how to ask someone’s name in this example sentence.
- Onamae wa nan desu ka?（お名前は何ですか？）= What’s your name?
While teineigo is used in formal contexts, you can also hear it used in places like Japanese restaurants.
- Gochūmon wa?（ご注文は？）= What’s your order?
A formal alternative to desu is de aru (である). When using this form in keigo, it’s often conjugated and becomes de gozaimasu.
- Senen de gozaimasu.（千円でございます。）= That will be 1,000 yen, please.
Using keigo in work emails
Writing strong emails using Japanese keigo is a skill unto itself. When writing to peers or coworkers that report to you, rules are less strict. However, when writing to superiors (especially those high above you, like your boss’s boss’s boss) or to people who are older, masterfully utilizing sonkeigo to show respect while also humbling yourself with kenjōgo goes a long way.
Here are a few pointers about how to write work emails in Japanese:
- Instead of using general honorifics like san, you can use the person’s job title as the suffix.
- Remember to never use an honorific for yourself. Instead, only introduce yourself in an email with your first and last name. If the email is going to someone outside the company, you should include your company name as well.
- Work emails in the United States can be very brief and get directly to the subject of the email. By contrast, Japanese work emails often include an introduction with one or several greetings that might express gratitude to the recipient or apologize for taking up their time.
| Japanese | Romanization | English |
| ～課長 | ~kachō | section chief (usually a manager of a team) |
| ～部長 | ~buchō | department chief (usually a general or senior manager) |
| ～御中 | -onchū | addressing a group of people, such as [department]–onchū |
| 〇〇株式会社の✕✕と申します。 | ~kabushiki gaisha no ~ to mōshimasu. | This is [name] at [company name]. |
| 〇〇の件、いかがでしょうか？ | ~no ken, ikaga deshō ka? | How is [topic] progressing? |
| この方向で進めてください。 | Kono hōkō de susumete kudasai. | Let’s proceed with this. |
| よろしくご査収ください。 | Yoroshiku gosashū kudasai. | Please confirm. |
| かしこまりました。 | Kashikomari-mashita. | I understand.; OK. |
| ご無沙汰しております。 | Gobusata shite orimasu. | It has been some time since we last spoke.; Please forgive my delayed response. |
| お手数ですが、〇〇していただけますでしょうか？ | Otesū desu ga, ~shite itadakemasu deshō ka? | Sorry to bother you, but could you please [request]? |
| お疲れ様です。 | Otsukare sama desu. | Thank you for your hard work. |
| よろしくお願いいたします。 | Yoroshiku onegai itashimasu. | Thank you very much in advance. |
| お世話になっております。 | Osewa ni natte orimasu. | I am in your debt.; Thank you for all that you do. |
| 恐縮ですが、〇〇。 | Kyōshuku desu ga, ~ | Pardon me, but ~. |
| 申し訳ありません。 | Mōshiwake arimasen. | Excuse me.; I’m very sorry. |
Become a keigo pro in professional situations
Many people consider keigo to be difficult, but it’s an important aspect of the Japanese language, especially if you intend to live or work in Japan. Even if you only visit for a short while, you’ll hear sonkeigo from employees at a convenience store directed at customers (like you!) and you’ll use it yourself in everyday greetings and expressions.
Ready to start practicing? Finding a conversation partner is ideal, but if you choose to learn keigo on your own, doing so while checking your pronunciation is a good plan. Keigo conjugations and words can be significantly longer than you’re used to, which makes them a mouthful. By using Rosetta Stone’s TruAccent speech recognition engine, you’ll wow native speakers with your smooth pronunciation and mastery of one of the biggest language challenges in Japanese.
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