Japanese Keigo (Honorific Language): A Practical Introduction

What Is Keigo and Why Does It Matter?

If you have ever watched a Japanese drama set in an office, listened to a phone conversation in a Japanese company, or read a formal email in Japanese, you have heard keigo (敬語 / けいご / keigo) — the Japanese system of honorific language. Keigo is not simply about being polite. It is a structured, rule-based system that encodes social relationships, hierarchy, and respect into the very grammar of every sentence.

Unlike English, where politeness is mostly a matter of tone and word choice (saying "please" and "thank you"), Japanese has entirely different verb forms depending on who you are talking to and who you are talking about. The verb "to eat" alone has three completely different forms: 食べる (たべる / taberu) in casual speech, 召し上がる (めしあがる / meshiagaru) when respectfully describing someone else eating, and いただく (itadaku) when humbly describing yourself eating. These are not synonyms — using the wrong one in the wrong context is a genuine social error.

For JLPT candidates, keigo becomes testable starting at N5 (basic desu/masu) and grows progressively more complex through N3, N2, and N1. If you plan to work in Japan, interact with Japanese clients, or pass the upper JLPT levels, keigo mastery is not optional — it is essential.

This guide breaks down all three types of keigo with clear explanations, essential verb pairs in a reference table, real workplace examples (emails and phone calls), and the most common mistakes learners make. Whether you are preparing for the JLPT or gearing up for your first job in Japan, this is your practical foundation.

Type 1: 丁寧語 (ていねいご / teineigo) — Polite Language

Teineigo is the foundation of Japanese politeness and the first form of keigo every learner encounters. If you have ever used です (desu) or ます (masu) at the end of a sentence, you are already using teineigo. It is the baseline level of polite speech in Japanese — appropriate for speaking with strangers, acquaintances, colleagues, and anyone you are not on close personal terms with.

The core principle of teineigo is simple: replace casual verb endings with their ます (masu) form, and replace だ (da) with です (desu). Here are some examples:

• 食べる (たべる / taberu) → 食べます (たべます / tabemasu) — to eat
• 飲む (のむ / nomu) → 飲みます (のみます / nomimasu) — to drink
• 行く (いく / iku) → 行きます (いきます / ikimasu) — to go
• 見る (みる / miru) → 見ます (みます / mimasu) — to see/watch
• する (suru) → します (shimasu) — to do
• 来る (くる / kuru) → 来ます (きます / kimasu) — to come

Example sentence: 明日、東京に行きます (あした、とうきょうにいきます / ashita, Toukyou ni ikimasu) — I will go to Tokyo tomorrow. This is teineigo — polite, neutral, and appropriate for most situations. If you said 明日、東京に行く (ashita, Toukyou ni iku) — that is casual speech, fine with close friends but potentially rude with a stranger or coworker.

Teineigo also includes polite prefixes. Adding お (o-) or ご (go-) before certain nouns makes them more polite: 名前 (なまえ / namae — name) becomes お名前 (おなまえ / o-namae), 飯 (めし / meshi — meal) becomes お食事 (おしょくじ / o-shokuji), and 連絡 (れんらく / renraku — contact) becomes ご連絡 (ごれんらく / go-renraku). Generally, お is used with native Japanese words (和語 / わご / wago) and ご with Chinese-origin words (漢語 / かんご / kango), though there are exceptions.

If you are studying for JLPT N5, mastering teineigo is your primary goal. The entire N5 exam expects you to understand and produce desu/masu forms. For a thorough review of verb conjugation patterns, see our Japanese verb conjugation guide.

Type 2: 尊敬語 (そんけいご / sonkeigo) — Respectful Language

Sonkeigo is the form of keigo that elevates the actions of another person — your boss, a customer, a teacher, a client, or anyone you want to show respect to. When you use sonkeigo, you are linguistically placing the other person above yourself. You are saying, "Your actions are worthy of respect, so I will describe them with special, elevated verb forms."

There are three main ways to form sonkeigo:

1. Special respectful verbs: Some verbs have completely different respectful forms that you must memorize. For example, 食べる (たべる / taberu — to eat) becomes 召し上がる (めしあがる / meshiagaru) in sonkeigo. There is no pattern to derive these — they are separate words that must be learned individually. The verb pair table later in this guide lists the essential ones.

2. The お + verb stem + になる pattern: For verbs that do not have special respectful forms, you can use this general pattern. Take the verb stem (the masu-stem), add お before it and になる (ni naru) after it. For example: 読む (よむ / yomu — to read) → お読みになる (およみになる / o-yomi ni naru). 書く (かく / kaku — to write) → お書きになる (おかきになる / o-kaki ni naru). This pattern works for most verbs and is extremely useful.

3. The passive form used as respectful: In spoken Japanese, the passive form (られる / rareru) is sometimes used as a lighter form of sonkeigo. For example: 社長が来られた (しゃちょうがこられた / shachou ga korareta) — the company president came (respectful). This usage is common in conversation but less formal than the special verbs or the お...になる pattern.

Example sentences:

• 先生はもうお帰りになりました (せんせいはもうおかえりになりました / sensei wa mou o-kaeri ni narimashita) — The teacher has already gone home (respectful).
• 社長は何を召し上がりますか (しゃちょうはなにをめしあがりますか / shachou wa nani wo meshiagarimasu ka) — What will the company president eat? (respectful).
• お客様がいらっしゃいました (おきゃくさまがいらっしゃいました / okyakusama ga irasshaimashita) — The customer has arrived (respectful).

The golden rule of sonkeigo: Never use it for your own actions. Saying 私がいらっしゃいます (watashi ga irasshaimasu) is incorrect and sounds bizarre to Japanese ears — you are elevating yourself, which is the opposite of what keigo intends.

Type 3: 謙譲語 (けんじょうご / kenjougo) — Humble Language

Kenjougo is the mirror image of sonkeigo. Instead of elevating the other person, you lower yourself (or your in-group). The effect is the same — the social distance between you and the other person is increased, showing respect — but the mechanism is opposite. Sonkeigo raises others up; kenjougo brings yourself down.

There are two main ways to form kenjougo:

1. Special humble verbs: Like sonkeigo, some verbs have completely different humble forms. For example, 食べる (たべる / taberu — to eat) becomes いただく (itadaku) in kenjougo. 行く (いく / iku — to go) becomes 参る (まいる / mairu). These must be memorized as separate vocabulary items.

2. The お + verb stem + する pattern: For verbs without special humble forms, use this general pattern. Take the verb stem, add お before it and する (suru) after it. For example: 持つ (もつ / motsu — to carry) → お持ちする (おもちする / o-mochi suru — I will carry it for you, humbly). 送る (おくる / okuru — to send) → お送りする (おおくりする / o-okuri suru — I will send it, humbly).

Example sentences:

• 私が参ります (わたしがまいります / watashi ga mairimasu) — I will go (humble).
• 資料を拝見しました (しりょうをはいけんしました / shiryou wo haiken shimashita) — I looked at the documents (humble).
• 明日、お電話いたします (あした、おでんわいたします / ashita, o-denwa itashimasu) — I will call you tomorrow (humble).
• 先日は大変お世話になりました (せんじつはたいへんおせわになりました / senjitsu wa taihen o-sewa ni narimashita) — Thank you very much for your help the other day (humble/grateful).

The golden rule of kenjougo: Never use it for someone else's actions. Saying 先生が参ります (sensei ga mairimasu) is wrong because 参る (mairu) is humble — you are lowering your teacher, which is disrespectful.

Essential Keigo Verb Pairs: The Complete Reference Table

This table contains the eight most important keigo verb pairs. Memorizing these will cover the vast majority of keigo situations you encounter in daily life, at work, and on the JLPT. For each verb, the table shows the casual (dictionary) form, the sonkeigo (respectful) form, and the kenjougo (humble) form.

Notice that いらっしゃる (irassharu) serves as the sonkeigo form for three different verbs: 行く (to go), いる (to be), and 来る (to come). Context determines which meaning is intended. Similarly, 参る (mairu) is the kenjougo form for both 行く (to go) and 来る (to come).

These eight verb pairs appear constantly on the JLPT, in Japanese workplaces, and in customer service interactions. If you can use all eight correctly, you will handle approximately 80% of real-world keigo situations. For a broader review of how Japanese verbs conjugate, see our Japanese verb conjugation guide.

When to Use Which Type of Keigo

Knowing the three types of keigo is one thing — knowing when to use each type is another. Here is a practical decision framework:

Use teineigo (です/ます) when: You are speaking to anyone you are not on close personal terms with. This includes strangers, acquaintances, coworkers at the same level, and in any neutral or semi-formal situation. Teineigo is the safe default. When in doubt, use teineigo.

Use sonkeigo when describing the actions of: Your boss or manager, a customer or client, a teacher or professor, someone older than you (in a formal context), anyone you want to show active respect to. Remember — sonkeigo describes their actions, not yours.

Use kenjougo when describing your own actions to: Your boss or manager, a customer or client, a teacher or professor, someone you are showing deference to. Remember — kenjougo describes your actions (or your in-group's actions), not theirs.

A practical example: Imagine you are at work and your department head, 田中部長 (たなかぶちょう / Tanaka-buchou), asks you to review a document and then report to a client.

• To your department head: 資料を拝見いたしました (しりょうをはいけんいたしました / shiryou wo haiken itashimashita) — I have reviewed the documents (kenjougo — humbling yourself).
• About your department head (to the client): 田中は資料を確認いたしました (たなかはしりょうをかくにんいたしました / Tanaka wa shiryou wo kakunin itashimashita) — Tanaka has confirmed the documents (kenjougo — humbling your in-group member to the outside client).
• About the client (to your department head): お客様がご覧になりました (おきゃくさまがごらんになりました / okyakusama ga goran ni narimashita) — The client has looked at it (sonkeigo — elevating the client).

This is the uchi-soto (内・外 / うち・そと / inside-outside) principle in action. When talking to outsiders, everyone in your company — even your boss — becomes part of your uchi (in-group), and you use kenjougo for their actions. This is one of the most counterintuitive aspects of keigo for learners, but it is absolutely critical for business Japanese.

Workplace Keigo: Essential Email Phrases

Japanese business emails follow strict keigo conventions. Here are the most common phrases you will need. Learning these set phrases by heart will cover most business email situations. For more on essential Japanese expressions, check out our Japanese greetings guide.

Opening phrases:

• お世話になっております (おせわになっております / o-sewa ni natte orimasu) — Thank you for your continued support. This is the standard opening for business emails to external contacts. It uses kenjougo (おります / orimasu).
• お疲れ様です (おつかれさまです / otsukaresama desu) — Thank you for your hard work. Used when emailing colleagues within the same company. This is teineigo.
• 突然のメールで失礼いたします (とつぜんのメールでしつれいいたします / totsuzen no meeru de shitsurei itashimasu) — I apologize for this sudden email. Used when contacting someone for the first time. Uses kenjougo (いたします / itashimasu).

Request phrases:

• ご確認いただけますでしょうか (ごかくにんいただけますでしょうか / go-kakunin itadakemasu deshou ka) — Could you please confirm? Uses kenjougo (いただく / itadaku — receiving the favor of).
• お手数おかけしますが (おてすうおかけしますが / o-tesuu o-kakeshimasu ga) — I apologize for the trouble, but... A polite preamble before a request.
• ご検討のほど、よろしくお願いいたします (ごけんとうのほど、よろしくおねがいいたします / go-kentou no hodo, yoroshiku o-negai itashimasu) — I kindly ask for your consideration. A standard closing request using kenjougo.

Closing phrases:

• 何卒よろしくお願いいたします (なにとぞよろしくおねがいいたします / nanitozo yoroshiku o-negai itashimasu) — I humbly ask for your kind consideration. The most formal email closing.
• 引き続きよろしくお願いいたします (ひきつづきよろしくおねがいいたします / hikitsuzuki yoroshiku o-negai itashimasu) — I look forward to your continued support.
• お忙しいところ恐れ入りますが (おいそがしいところおそれいりますが / o-isogashii tokoro osore irimasu ga) — I know you are busy, but... (apologetic preamble).

Workplace Keigo: Essential Phone Phrases

Answering the phone at a Japanese company is one of the most keigo-intensive situations you will face. Every phrase is a set expression that must be delivered correctly. Here are the essentials:

• お電話ありがとうございます。〇〇会社の△△でございます (おでんわありがとうございます。〇〇かいしゃの△△でございます / o-denwa arigatou gozaimasu. [company] no [name] de gozaimasu) — Thank you for calling. This is [name] from [company]. でございます is an extra-polite form of です.
• 少々お待ちくださいませ (しょうしょうおまちくださいませ / shoushou o-machi kudasaimase) — Please wait a moment. くださいませ is a more polite form of ください.
• 申し訳ございません、ただいま席を外しております (もうしわけございません、ただいませきをはずしております / moushiwake gozaimasen, tadaima seki wo hazushite orimasu) — I'm terribly sorry, [that person] is currently away from their desk. Uses おります (kenjougo for your in-group member).
• 折り返しお電話いたしましょうか (おりかえしおでんわいたしましょうか / orikaeshi o-denwa itashimashou ka) — Shall [they] call you back? Uses いたす (kenjougo).
• お伝えいたします (おつたえいたします / o-tsutae itashimasu) — I will pass along the message. Uses いたす (kenjougo).

Notice how every phone phrase uses either kenjougo (when describing your company's actions) or respectful expressions (when addressing the caller). This is the uchi-soto principle in its purest form: the caller is the outsider (soto), so everyone at your company — including senior staff — gets humble language.

Common Keigo Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even native Japanese speakers sometimes stumble with keigo, especially younger people entering the workforce for the first time. Here are the most frequent mistakes learners (and natives) make, along with corrections:

Mistake 1: Using sonkeigo for yourself. This is the single most common error. Saying 私がいらっしゃいます (watashi ga irasshaimasu — I will go/be there, using respectful form) when you mean 私が参ります (watashi ga mairimasu — I will go, humble form). The fix: sonkeigo is always for someone else. If the subject is "I" or "we," use kenjougo.

Mistake 2: Using kenjougo for someone else. Saying 先生が申しました (sensei ga moushimashita — the teacher said, using humble form) when you should say 先生がおっしゃいました (sensei ga osshaimashita — the teacher said, using respectful form). The fix: kenjougo is always for yourself or your in-group.

Mistake 3: Double honorifics (二重敬語 / にじゅうけいご / nijuu keigo). Adding honorific layers that are redundant. For example, おっしゃられる (osshareru) — adding the passive/respectful られる to おっしゃる, which is already sonkeigo. The correct form is simply おっしゃる (ossharu). Similarly, お召し上がりになる (o-meshiagari ni naru) adds the お...になる pattern to 召し上がる, which is already sonkeigo. While some double honorifics have become socially accepted through widespread use (like お召し上がりになる in restaurant service), they are technically grammatical errors and may be marked wrong on the JLPT.

Mistake 4: Forgetting uchi-soto with your boss. When a client calls and asks for your department head, saying 田中部長はいらっしゃいません (Tanaka-buchou wa irasshaimasen — using sonkeigo for your boss) is wrong in this context. The correct form: 田中は席を外しております (Tanaka wa seki wo hazushite orimasu — using kenjougo, and dropping the title). When speaking to outsiders, your boss is part of your uchi — use humble language and no title.

Mistake 5: The infamous "ra-nuki" (ら抜き) in keigo contexts. In casual speech, many Japanese people drop ら from the potential form (食べられる → 食べれる / taberareru → tabereru). However, in keigo contexts — formal emails, business phone calls, JLPT questions — ら抜き is considered incorrect. Always use the full form in formal situations.

Mistake 6: Overusing keigo in casual situations. Using full sonkeigo and kenjougo with close friends or family creates awkward distance. If your friend asks you to pass the soy sauce, responding with お取りいたします (o-tori itashimasu) would be comically formal. Match your keigo level to the social context. Understanding Japanese particles and overall sentence structure helps you calibrate tone more naturally.

Keigo on the JLPT: What to Expect at Each Level

Keigo appears at every JLPT level, but the depth and complexity increases dramatically as you advance. Here is what to expect:

JLPT N5 and N4: At these beginner levels, you need to understand and use teineigo (desu/masu forms) consistently. The N5 and N4 exams do not test sonkeigo or kenjougo directly, but you should be able to recognize basic polite expressions like ください (kudasai), お願いします (おねがいします / o-negai shimasu), and ありがとうございます (arigatou gozaimasu). If you are at this stage, focus on perfecting your verb conjugation before tackling advanced keigo.

JLPT N3: This is where keigo becomes a formal test topic. The N3 exam expects you to recognize and understand common sonkeigo and kenjougo verbs in reading passages and listening conversations. You should know the core verb pairs in the table above and understand the basic uchi-soto distinction. Grammar questions may ask you to choose the correct keigo form for a given social situation.

JLPT N2: At N2, keigo mastery is expected. You need to handle workplace scenarios, formal letters, business announcements, and news articles that use keigo naturally. The listening section features business conversations where you must understand who is being respectful to whom and why. Grammar questions test nuanced distinctions — for example, choosing between いただく and くださる, or recognizing when uchi-soto applies.

JLPT N1: At the highest level, keigo is woven into every section. Reading passages include formal essays, business documents, and literary texts with complex keigo usage. The listening section features nuanced social interactions where keigo signals relationships and attitudes. N1 grammar questions may test double-honorific recognition, archaic keigo forms, and the distinction between various levels of formality. For a complete study strategy, explore our guide to the best way to learn Japanese in 2026.

Beyond the Basics: Additional Keigo Patterns

Once you have mastered the core verb pairs and the three types of keigo, there are several additional patterns that will further polish your formal Japanese:

でございます (de gozaimasu): The ultra-polite form of です (desu). Used in highly formal contexts like hotel reception, department store announcements, and formal business introductions. Example: こちらが会議室でございます (こちらがかいぎしつでございます / kochira ga kaigishitsu de gozaimasu) — This is the meeting room (very formal).

〜ていただけませんか (te itadakemasen ka): A very polite way to make a request, literally meaning "could I receive the favor of you doing...?" Example: もう少しゆっくり話していただけませんか (もうすこしゆっくりはなしていただけませんか / mou sukoshi yukkuri hanashite itadakemasen ka) — Could you please speak a little more slowly? This is softer and more polite than ください.

〜させていただく (sasete itadaku): Literally "to receive the favor of being allowed to do..." This humble pattern is extremely common in modern business Japanese. Example: 本日は私が説明させていただきます (ほんじつはわたしがせつめいさせていただきます / honjitsu wa watashi ga setsumei sasete itadakimasu) — I will be explaining today (humble). Note: this pattern is sometimes overused in modern Japanese, and purists consider some uses unnecessary, but it remains standard in business settings.

お/ご〜ください (o/go... kudasai): A polite way to give instructions or make requests. Example: ご注意ください (ごちゅういください / go-chuui kudasai) — Please be careful. お座りください (おすわりください / o-suwari kudasai) — Please sit down.

Practical Tips for Learning Keigo

Keigo can feel overwhelming, but with the right approach, it becomes manageable. Here are proven strategies from successful JLPT candidates and Japanese language professionals:

1. Learn in pairs, not in isolation. Always study the sonkeigo and kenjougo forms together for each verb. Flashcard the trio: casual → sonkeigo → kenjougo. This prevents the most common mistake of mixing them up. Using a spaced repetition system makes this retention automatic.

2. Start with teineigo, then add layers. Do not try to learn all three types simultaneously. Master desu/masu forms completely first (this is your N5 and N4 foundation). Then add sonkeigo recognition (N3 level). Then add kenjougo production (N2 and N1 level). Each layer builds on the last.

3. Memorize set phrases for business situations. The email and phone phrases in this guide are used identically by every Japanese professional. They are not creative expressions — they are formulas. Memorize them exactly as written and you will sound polished in business contexts immediately.

4. Watch and shadow Japanese media. Business dramas, NHK news, and formal YouTube channels expose you to natural keigo in context. Pause, repeat, and shadow (speak along with) the keigo phrases you hear. This builds both recognition and production skills simultaneously.

5. Practice role-play scenarios. Create realistic situations: you are answering a phone call from a client, you are writing an email to a professor, you are introducing yourself at a business meeting. Write out what you would say, check your keigo forms, and practice speaking them aloud until they feel natural.

6. Accept imperfection gracefully. Even native Japanese speakers make keigo mistakes, especially in their early career years. Japanese people are generally forgiving of keigo errors from non-native speakers — they will appreciate that you are making the effort. The goal is steady improvement, not instant perfection.

Quick Reference: Keigo Decision Flowchart

Use this mental flowchart every time you need to decide which keigo type to use:

1. Who am I talking to? If it's a close friend or family member of equal/lower status → use casual (タメ語 / tamego). If it's anyone else → continue to step 2.
2. Whose action am I describing? If it's my own action (or my in-group's action when speaking to an outsider) → use kenjougo. If it's the listener's action or a respected third party's action → use sonkeigo. If neither applies → use teineigo (desu/masu).
3. Is this an uchi-soto situation? If I am talking to an outsider (client, customer, someone from another company) → everyone in my company, including my boss, gets kenjougo. If I am talking to an insider (colleague) about our boss → use sonkeigo for the boss.
4. Is there a special verb form? Check the verb pair table. If a special form exists (like いらっしゃる or 参る), use it. If not, use the お...になる pattern (sonkeigo) or お...する pattern (kenjougo).

With practice, this decision-making process becomes automatic. Most Japanese professionals do not consciously think through these steps — they have internalized the patterns through years of use. Your goal as a learner is to practice enough that keigo becomes similarly intuitive for you.

Frequently Asked Questions