Keigo (敬語, “respectful language”) is the honorific system that governs politeness in Japanese. Even many native Japanese speakers struggle with keigo. As a learner, understanding the basics gives you a massive advantage in real-world situations — job interviews, business emails, or simply impressing Japanese people with your manners.
The Three Types of Keigo
1. 丁寧語 (Teineigo) — Polite Language
The “basic polite” form. This is what textbooks teach first: the です/ます forms.
Casual: これは本だ。 (Kore wa hon da.)
Polite: これは本です。 (Kore wa hon desu.)
Casual: 食べる (taberu, eat)
Polite: 食べます (tabemasu)
When to use: With strangers, colleagues, anyone you’re not close friends with. This is your default in Japanese society.
2. 尊敬語 (Sonkeigo) — Respectful Language
Used when talking about someone above you — your boss, a customer, an elder. It elevates the other person.
Polite: 先生は食べます。 (The teacher eats.)
Respectful: 先生は召し上がります。(The teacher eats.) [elevated]
Polite: 部長は行きます。 (The manager goes.)
Respectful: 部長はいらっしゃいます。 (The manager goes.) [elevated]
3. 謙譲語 (Kenjougo) — Humble Language
Used when talking about yourself or your group to someone above you. It lowers yourself to show respect.
Polite: 私は食べます。 (I eat.)
Humble: 私はいただきます。 (I eat.) [humbled]
Polite: 私は行きます。 (I go.)
Humble: 私は参ります。 (I go.) [humbled]
The Most Common Keigo Verbs
| Plain | Meaning | Sonkeigo (Respectful) | Kenjougo (Humble) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 行く (iku) | Go | いらっしゃる | 参る (mairu) |
| 来る (kuru) | Come | いらっしゃる | 参る (mairu) |
| いる (iru) | Be/exist | いらっしゃる | おる (oru) |
| 食べる (taberu) | Eat | 召し上がる | いただく |
| 飲む (nomu) | Drink | 召し上がる | いただく |
| 言う (iu) | Say | おっしゃる | 申す (mousu) |
| 見る (miru) | See | ご覧になる | 拝見する (haiken) |
| する (suru) | Do | なさる | いたす (itasu) |
| 知る (shiru) | Know | ご存じだ | 存じる (zonjiru) |
| もらう (morau) | Receive | — | いただく |
| あげる (ageru) | Give | くださる | 差し上げる |
When Do You Actually Need Keigo?
- Work/business: Essential. All professional communication uses keigo.
- Shops/restaurants: Staff will use keigo to you. Understanding it is enough.
- Meeting someone’s parents: Teineigo at minimum, some sonkeigo appreciated.
- Emails: Written keigo is expected in any formal email.
- With friends: Not needed. Using keigo with friends sounds strange.
Easy Keigo Formulas
Don’t memorize individual verbs at first. These formulas work for most verbs:
Respectful (Sonkeigo) formula:
お + verb stem + になる
Example: お読みになる (o-yomi ni naru) = “[you] read” (respectful)
Humble (Kenjougo) formula:
お + verb stem + する
Example: お持ちする (o-mochi suru) = “[I] carry” (humble)
Common Keigo Mistakes
- Using sonkeigo about yourself: “私はいらっしゃいます” (wrong — this elevates yourself)
- Using kenjougo about your boss: “部長は参ります” (wrong — this humbles your boss)
- Double keigo: “お召し上がりになられる” (overdoing it — sounds unnatural)
The simple rule: Elevate others (sonkeigo), lower yourself (kenjougo).
The Vocabulary Foundation
Keigo builds on vocabulary you already know. The stronger your base vocabulary, the easier keigo becomes. You need to know the plain forms (行く, 来る, 食べる) before learning their keigo equivalents.
- Master N5-N4 vocabulary first (basic verbs and adjectives)
- Keigo verbs appear in the N3-N2 vocabulary sets
- Kanjijo’s JLPT-organized lessons naturally introduce keigo at the right stage
Master the base vocabulary that makes keigo learnable. Start free with Kanjijo.