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🇯🇵 40. Honorific Expression
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Please change the word to the honorific expression. Click “answer” to see the result.
– at a hotel –
The guests are coming soon.
( subject = the guest )
I’m coming your room now.
( subject = I )
The manager is coming your room, Mr.Suzuki.
( subject = my boss )
A: せんせいは どちらに [ ① いますか ]？
Where is our teacher?
( subject = teacher )
B: わたしは いま いえに [ ② います ]。
I’m at home now.
( subject = I )
Please go ahead and have some, if you like.
( subject = the guest )
I ate dishes cooked by the teacher’s wife.
( subject = I )
My daughter received a scholarship of 3 million yen from the university.
( subject = my family member )
Mr.Sato, who moved in the next room recently, gave me a melon.
( subject = acquaintance )
The director said that this number is correct.
( subject = my boss )
I am Tanaka. Nice to meet you.
( subject = I )
The president plays various kinds of sports.
( subject =my boss )
I’ll check if I locked the door.
( subject = I )
I’m sorry. Mr.Tanaka is out now. Would you like to wait for him?
( subject = business customer )
I’m sorry. He ( = my brother ) is out now. Would you like to wait for him?
( subject = my brother’s friend )
Then, I’ll wait for your replay.
( subject = I )
on the phone ..
Hello, this is Sato.
( Polite Expression )
on the elevator …
It’s third floor.
( Polite Expression )
at the clothes shop …
Do you have this shirts in white?
B : はい、[ ③ あります ]。
Yes, we have.
( Polite Expression )
Well done!
Check the brief grammar notes and examples below for your review.
Grammar Note
“Keigo ( = honorifics)” is used to show respect. It is used for people as below.
・ elder people
・ people with higher social status
・ teachers
・ people you are not very familiar with
・ people you just met
・ people who don’t belong to the speaker’s group
There are mainly 3 kinds of “Keigo”, “respect”, “modest”, and “polite”.
⚫️ Respect
Subject = the person who is respected
The speaker shows respect to the listener or the person who are talked about. You express a feeling that you put someone to higher rank.
special verbs
| いらっしゃいます irasshai-masu | いきます きます います |
| めしあがります meshiagari-masu | たべます のみます |
| ごぞんじです gozonji-desu | しっています |
| ごらんになります goranninari-masu | みます |
| なさいます nasai-masu | します |
| くださいます kudasai-masu | くれます |
kaichō [wa] kaigishitsu [ni] irasshai-masu.
( CEO is at a meeting room. )
sensei [wa] gozonji-desuka?
( Have you heard it, teacher? )
お … になります
The “O + [Verb stem] + ni narimasu” structure is also used.
at a restaurant to the customer
napukin [o] otsukaini-nari-masuka?
( Would you like to use a napkin? )
nani [o] onomini-nari-masuka?
( What would you like to drink? )
zasshi [o] oyomini-nari-masuka?
( Would you like to read magazines? )
NOTE:
This form cannot be used for verbs in Group 2 with one syllable before ”ます”, and also verbs in Group 3.
e.g. [ います・ねます・みます・します・きます ]
おVerb
⚫️ Verb (ら) れます
This expression can be used with most verbs. However it express slightly lower level of respect than “お … になります”.
sensei [wa] mō kaerare-mashitaka?
( Has the teacher left already? )
yamada-san [wa] kaigi [ni] sanka sare-masuka?
( Do you attend the meeting, Ms.Yamada? )
Verb (ら)れます
The form is same as Passive Form ( 3-12 ).
⚫️ Modest
Subject = I ( or my group )
The speaker put “myself ( or person who is in my group )” to lower rank, to show respect to the listener or the person who are talked about.
Special Verb
| まいります mairi-masu | いきます きます |
| おります ori-masu | います |
| いただきます itadaki-masu | たべます のみます もらいます |
| はいけん します haiken shi-masu | みます |
| もうします mōshi-masu | いいます |
| いたします itashi-masu | します |
| うかがいます ukagai-masu | ききます きます いきます |
| ぞんじております zonjite-ori-masu | しっています |
| ぞんじません zonji-masen | しりません |
| おめにかかります omeni-kakari-masu | あいます |
( watashi [wa] ) ashita san-ji [ni] sochira [no] kaisha [ni] ukagai-masu.
( I’m visiting your company at 3:00 tomorrow. )
sasaki [ga] ashita sochira [no] kaisha [ni] ukagai-masu. yoroshiku onegai-itashi-masu.
( Mr.Sasaki ( of our company ) is visiting your company tomorrow. Thank you.
* In Japanese we don’t add the titles, like “-さん” “-さま”, to the people in my group, when we talk to a person of other groups.
omenikakarete, ureshī-desu.
( I’m happy to meet you. )
お(ご) … します
The “O (Go) + [Verb stem] + shimasu” structure is also used.
at a hotel to the guest
onimotsu [o] omochi-shi-masu
( I’ll bring your luggage. )
otesudai-shi-masu-node, itsudemo osshatte-kudasai.
( If you need help, please let us know anytime.)
お(ご)Verb
The pattern changes to “ごVerb します” with these verbs.
⚫️ Polite
The speaker shows respect to the listener by using polite expressions.
| Nounでございます -de-gozai-masu | nounです |
| ございます gozai-masu | あります |
on the phone
hai, tanaka-de-gozaimasu.
( Hello, this is Tanaka. )
in the station
tsugi [no] densha [wa] tōkyō-iki-de-gozaimasu.
( The next train is bound for Tokyo. )
at a hotel
haburashi [wa] ari-masuka?
( Do you have a toothbrush? )
B : はい、ございます。
hai, gozaimasu.
( Yes, we have. )
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