{"id":476,"date":"2025-08-13T08:55:52","date_gmt":"2025-08-12T23:55:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/?p=476"},"modified":"2025-08-13T19:39:00","modified_gmt":"2025-08-13T10:39:00","slug":"master-keigo-a-beginners-guide-to-japanese-honorifics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/?p=476","title":{"rendered":"Master Keigo: A Beginner&#8217;s Guide to Japanese Honorifics"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"476\" class=\"elementor elementor-476\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b5540d2 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b5540d2\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-982e943 elementor-widget elementor-widget-video\" data-id=\"982e943\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;youtube_url&quot;:&quot;https:\\\/\\\/youtu.be\\\/2MMoK5Rydv4&quot;,&quot;video_type&quot;:&quot;youtube&quot;,&quot;controls&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"video.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-wrapper elementor-open-inline\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-video\"><\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-9337e6a e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"9337e6a\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4fa0c93 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"4fa0c93\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/?page_id=248\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">get the app for 60% off through this site<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-195dc52 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"195dc52\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5dcb1ca elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"5dcb1ca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div id=\"model-response-message-contentr_382262fb10eccbbb\" class=\"markdown markdown-main-panel stronger enable-updated-hr-color\" dir=\"ltr\"><p>\u00a0<\/p><h3>The Art of Japanese Honorifics: Unlocking Keigo<\/h3><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>The Japanese language&#8217;s honorific system, known as <b>Keigo<\/b>, is more than just polite speech\u2014it&#8217;s a social toolkit built into the language itself. While many learners begin with the basic polite form (e.g., adding <code>-masu<\/code> to verbs), the true art of Keigo lies in a deeper system designed to navigate social relationships.<\/p><p>The fundamental principle of Keigo boils down to one simple choice in any given situation: you either use words that <b>elevate the other person<\/b> or words that <b>humble yourself<\/b>.<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><h4>1. Elevating Others with Respectful Language (\u5c0a\u656c\u8a9e, <i>Sonkeigo<\/i>)<\/h4><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><i>Sonkeigo<\/i> is used when you are describing the actions of someone you respect, such as a boss, professor, or client. Instead of just changing the ending of a verb, you use entirely different words to put their actions on a &#8220;verbal pedestal.&#8221;<\/p><ul><li><p><b>Example:<\/b> The plain verb for &#8220;to see&#8221; (\u898b\u308b, <i>miru<\/i>) becomes <b>\u3054\u89a7\u306b\u306a\u308b<\/b> (<i>goran ni naru<\/i>) when talking about a superior&#8217;s action.<\/p><\/li><li><p><b>Example:<\/b> The plain verb for &#8220;to eat&#8221; (\u98df\u3079\u308b, <i>taberu<\/i>) becomes <b>\u53ec\u3057\u4e0a\u304c\u308b<\/b> (<i>meshiagaru<\/i>).<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p>\u00a0<\/p><h4>2. Humbling Yourself with Humble Language (\u8b19\u8b72\u8a9e, <i>Kenj\u014dgo<\/i>)<\/h4><p>\u00a0<\/p><p><i>Kenj\u014dgo<\/i> is used to humble your own actions when speaking to someone of a higher social standing. By using modest words to describe what you did, you effectively elevate the person you are speaking to by contrast.<\/p><ul><li><p><b>Example:<\/b> When you &#8220;see&#8221; something, the verb &#8220;miru&#8221; becomes <b>\u62dd\u898b\u3059\u308b<\/b> (<i>haiken suru<\/i>).<\/p><\/li><li><p><b>Example:<\/b> When you &#8220;eat,&#8221; the verb &#8220;taberu&#8221; becomes <b>\u3044\u305f\u3060\u304f<\/b> (<i>itadaku<\/i>).<\/p><\/li><\/ul><p>Ultimately, Keigo is not about memorizing grammar rules, but about acting as a social compass. The verbs you choose tell a story about the social relationship between the speakers and the person being discussed. It&#8217;s a system for encoding respect and social structure directly into everyday speech.<\/p><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b7eb1e1 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b7eb1e1\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-7071cdc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"7071cdc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<table dir=\"ltr\" border=\"1\" cellspacing=\"0\" cellpadding=\"0\" data-sheets-root=\"1\" data-sheets-baot=\"1\"><colgroup><col width=\"100\" \/><col width=\"100\" \/><col width=\"100\" \/><col width=\"100\" \/><col width=\"100\" \/><\/colgroup><tbody><tr><td>English (Plain Form)<\/td><td>\u666e\u901a\u5f62 (Plain Form)<\/td><td>\u4e01\u5be7\u8a9e (Polite Form)<\/td><td>\u5c0a\u656c\u8a9e (Respectful Form)<\/td><td>\u8b19\u8b72\u8a9e (Humble Form)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>go<\/td><td>\u884c\u304f (iku)<\/td><td>\u884c\u304d\u307e\u3059 (ikimasu)<\/td><td>\u3044\u3089\u3063\u3057\u3083\u308b\u30fb\u304a\u3044\u3067\u306b\u306a\u308b (irassharu \/ oide ni naru)<\/td><td>\u4f3a\u3046\u30fb\u53c2\u308b (ukagau \/ mairu)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>come<\/td><td>\u6765\u308b (kuru)<\/td><td>\u6765\u307e\u3059 (kimasu)<\/td><td>\u3044\u3089\u3063\u3057\u3083\u308b\u30fb\u304a\u3044\u3067\u306b\u306a\u308b (irassharu \/ oide ni naru)<\/td><td>\u4f3a\u3046\u30fb\u53c2\u308b (ukagau \/ mairu)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>eat<\/td><td>\u98df\u3079\u308b (taberu)<\/td><td>\u98df\u3079\u307e\u3059 (tabemasu)<\/td><td>\u53ec\u3057\u4e0a\u304c\u308b\u30fb\u304a\u98df\u3079\u306b\u306a\u308b (meshiagaru \/ otabe ni naru)<\/td><td>\u3044\u305f\u3060\u304f (itadaku)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>drink<\/td><td>\u98f2\u3080 (nomu)<\/td><td>\u98f2\u307f\u307e\u3059 (nomimasu)<\/td><td>\u53ec\u3057\u4e0a\u304c\u308b\u30fb\u304a\u98f2\u307f\u306b\u306a\u308b (meshiagaru \/ onomi ni naru)<\/td><td>\u3044\u305f\u3060\u304f (itadaku)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>sleep<\/td><td>\u5bdd\u308b (neru)<\/td><td>\u5bdd\u307e\u3059 (nemasu)<\/td><td>\u304a\u4f11\u307f\u306b\u306a\u308b (oyasumi ni naru)<\/td><td>&#8211;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>see<\/td><td>\u898b\u308b (miru)<\/td><td>\u898b\u307e\u3059 (mimasu)<\/td><td>\u3054\u89a7\u306b\u306a\u308b (goran ni naru)<\/td><td>\u62dd\u898b\u3059\u308b (haiken suru)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>hear\/ask<\/td><td>\u805e\u304f (kiku)<\/td><td>\u805e\u304d\u307e\u3059 (kikimasu)<\/td><td>\u304a\u805e\u304d\u306b\u306a\u308b (okiki ni naru)<\/td><td>\u4f3a\u3046\u30fb\u62dd\u8074\u3059\u308b (ukagau \/ haich\u014d suru)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>say<\/td><td>\u8a00\u3046 (iu)<\/td><td>\u8a00\u3044\u307e\u3059 (iimasu)<\/td><td>\u304a\u3063\u3057\u3083\u308b (ossharu)<\/td><td>\u7533\u3059\u30fb\u7533\u3057\u4e0a\u3052\u308b (m\u014dsu \/ m\u014dshiageru)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>know<\/td><td>\u77e5\u308b (shiru)<\/td><td>\u77e5\u3063\u3066\u3044\u307e\u3059 (shitte imasu)<\/td><td>\u3054\u5b58\u3058\u3067\u3059 (gozonji desu)<\/td><td>\u5b58\u3058\u3066\u304a\u308a\u307e\u3059\u30fb\u627f\u77e5\u3057\u3066\u304a\u308a\u307e\u3059 (zonjite orimasu \/ sh\u014dchi shite orimasu)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>think<\/td><td>\u601d\u3046 (omou)<\/td><td>\u601d\u3044\u307e\u3059 (omoimasu)<\/td><td>\u304a\u601d\u3044\u306b\u306a\u308b (oomoi ni naru)<\/td><td>\u5b58\u3058\u308b (zonjiru)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>exist<\/td><td>\u3044\u308b (iru)<\/td><td>\u3044\u307e\u3059 (imasu)<\/td><td>\u3044\u3089\u3063\u3057\u3083\u308b (irassharu)<\/td><td>\u304a\u308b (oru)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>do<\/td><td>\u3059\u308b (suru)<\/td><td>\u3057\u307e\u3059 (shimasu)<\/td><td>\u306a\u3055\u308b (nasaru)<\/td><td>\u3044\u305f\u3059 (itasu)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>receive<\/td><td>\u3082\u3089\u3046 (morau)<\/td><td>\u3082\u3089\u3044\u307e\u3059 (moraimasu)<\/td><td>\u304a\u53d7\u3051\u306b\u306a\u308b (ouke ni naru)<\/td><td>\u3044\u305f\u3060\u304f (itadaku)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>give<\/td><td>\u3042\u3052\u308b (ageru)<\/td><td>\u3042\u3052\u307e\u3059 (agemasu)<\/td><td>&#8211;<\/td><td>\u5dee\u3057\u4e0a\u3052\u308b (sashiageru)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>meet<\/td><td>\u4f1a\u3046 (au)<\/td><td>\u4f1a\u3044\u307e\u3059 (aimasu)<\/td><td>\u304a\u4f1a\u3044\u306b\u306a\u308b (oai ni naru)<\/td><td>\u304a\u76ee\u306b\u304b\u304b\u308b (ome ni kakaru)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>read<\/td><td>\u8aad\u3080 (yomu)<\/td><td>\u8aad\u307f\u307e\u3059 (yomimasu)<\/td><td>\u304a\u8aad\u307f\u306b\u306a\u308b (oyomi ni naru)<\/td><td>\u62dd\u8aad\u3059\u308b (haidoku suru)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>borrow<\/td><td>\u501f\u308a\u308b (kariru)<\/td><td>\u501f\u308a\u307e\u3059 (karimasu)<\/td><td>\u304a\u501f\u308a\u306b\u306a\u308b (okari ni naru)<\/td><td>\u62dd\u501f\u3059\u308b (haishaku suru)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>help<\/td><td>\u624b\u4f1d\u3046 (tetsudau)<\/td><td>\u624b\u4f1d\u3044\u307e\u3059 (tetsudaimasu)<\/td><td>\u304a\u624b\u4f1d\u3044\u306b\u306a\u308b (otetsudai ni naru)<\/td><td>\u304a\u624b\u4f1d\u3044\u3059\u308b (otetsudai suru)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>convey<\/td><td>\u4f1d\u3048\u308b (tsutaeru)<\/td><td>\u4f1d\u3048\u307e\u3059 (tsutaemasu)<\/td><td>\u304a\u4f1d\u3048\u306b\u306a\u308b (otsutae ni naru)<\/td><td>\u7533\u3057\u4f1d\u3048\u308b (m\u014dshitsutaeru)<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>show<\/td><td>\u898b\u305b\u308b (miseru)<\/td><td>\u898b\u305b\u307e\u3059 (misemasu)<\/td><td>\u304a\u898b\u305b\u306b\u306a\u308b (omise ni naru)<\/td><td>\u3054\u89a7\u306b\u5165\u308c\u308b (goran ni ireru)<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-478906e e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"478906e\" data-element_type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div 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class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-sm\" href=\"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/?page_id=248\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">get the app for 60% off through this site<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>get the app for 60% off through this site \u00a0 The Art of Japanese Honorifics: Unlocking Keigo \u00a0 The Japanese lan [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":481,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[60],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-476","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-grammer-points"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/476","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=476"}],"version-history":[{"count":13,"href":"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/476\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":492,"href":"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/476\/revisions\/492"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/481"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=476"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=476"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.jlpt-japanese-study.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=476"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}