WHAT IS KEIGO IN JAPANESE?

Japan is a famously polite nation and with that comes with complex levels of politeness in speech.

Today, we’ll be looking at 敬語 keigo respectful speech and giving you some starters to get you adjusting your language like a pro.

WHAT IS KEIGO?

Even complete beginners of Japanese are aware of, and probably use, the ます masu form of verbs when speaking.

This is a form of 敬語 keigo respectful speech called 丁寧語 teineigo polite language.

Using 丁寧語 teineigo polite language vs casual Japanese is like the difference between saying How are you today? rather than You good? to your boss.

However, if you need to up the ante, there are another 2 forms of 敬語 keigo respectful speech called:

• 尊敬語 sonkeigo honorific language (putting your conversation partner on a pedestal to respect them)
• 謙譲語 kenjyougo humble language (putting yourself down to not seem so brash when talking about yourself).

WHEN TO USE KEIGO?

We use 敬語 keigo respectful speech when speaking to someone of a higher social standing, customers, or strangers.

Japan’s culture is based on a complex system of 内 uchi inner circle and 外 soto outer circle.

You should use 敬語 keigo respectful speech when speaking to someone that’s 外 soto outer circle. This extends past ideas like your inner circle of friends compared to complete strangers.

For example, your 内 uchi inner circle could be your team at work, with another division’s team being 外 soto outer circle despite being in the same company.

But, if you were to collectively visit another company, you’d all become 内 uchi inner circle and the other company’s employees would be 外 soto outer circle.

As you can see, the idea of what is inner and what is outer is complex and ever-changing. Honestly, even Japanese people struggle with clearly identifying who is which.

Some situations where you might need to use 敬語 keigo respectful speech include:

• Job interviews.
• Visiting someone’s home.
• Business meetings.
• Customer service.
• Writing letters and emails.

もうします

Play もうします moushimasu

＿＿＿と申します___to moushimasu is the 謙譲語 kenjyougo humble language way to say My name is ___.

You use this in situations like introducing yourself to people at work. The construction is fairly simple. You just add your name before と申しますto moushimasu and you’re set.

PREFIXES お & ご

Play お o

Play ご go

These are examples of 尊敬語 sonkeigo honorific language.

Ever heard a Japanese person say お寿司 osushi? Well, they do that to honour the food.

This concept is weird for an English speaker as we don’t say an honourable sandwich, but it’s the way of Japan.

You can add おo or ごgo before nouns to make them honorific. These are some common examples:

NOTE || These prefixes are never used with foreign loan words.

Some words change meaning when a prefix is added. For example, なか naka means inside but おなか onaka means stomach.

Some words have a nuance change when a prefix is added. For example, 湯 yu hot water (simply hot water)and お湯 oyu clean hot water (implied meaning of being able to drink or bathe in).

You can also use these prefixes with verbs to make them honorific. To do this, you follow this construct:

NOTE || If the verb already finishes with する suru then just add ご go at the start.

If you wanted to say I’ll check it, you could say ご確認しますgo kakunin shimasu. If you wanted to say I’ll call you in 10 minutes, you could say 10分後にお電話しますjyuu pun go ni o denwa shimasu.

いたす

Play いたす itasu

This is the 謙譲語 kenjyougo humble language way to say する suru to do.

You can use it as is, or you can add one of the prefixes we studied before, as in:

For example, if you wanted to say I’ll do the presentation, you could say プレゼンテーションは私がいたしますpurezente-shon wa watashi ga itashimasu. Or, if you wanted to say I’ll be showing you around today, you could say 今日は私がご案内いたしますkyou wa watashi ga go annai itashimasu.

いただく

Play いただく itadaku

You might already be aware of this one as 頂きますitadakimasu is what you say before eating in Japanese.

That’s because it actually is the 謙譲語 kenjyougo humble language way to say to eat, to drink, or to receive.

For example, 上司からボーナスを頂いた jyoushi kara bo-nasu wo itadaita I (humbly) received a bonus from my boss.

Or ガイドさんにロンドンの案内して頂きましたgaido san ni rondon no annai shite itadakimashita A guide showed us around London (and I was so grateful).

CREATING DISTANCE

One interesting use of 敬語 keigo respectful speech is for creating distance between you and someone.

As 敬語 keigo respectful speech is used when speaking to people that are 外 soto outer circle, if you maintain this formal speaking with the listener will likely think that you are trying to create distance.

On nights out I’ve heard Japanese women switch to 敬語 keigo respectful speech with someone making an advance despite them using casual Japanese, all with the purpose of creating distance between them.

In anime, you may have heard characters say 何で敬語?! Nande keigo?! Why are you using respectful language? if they are speaking to their friends.

This is because using 敬語 keigo respectful speech between friends can be kind of a joke as it is mockingly creating distance.

SUMMARY

• There are 3 forms of 敬語 keigo respectful speech:
  • 丁寧語 teineigo polite language,
  • 尊敬語sonkeigohonorific language,
  • and 謙譲語kenjyougo humble language.

• You use 敬語 keigo respectful speech when speaking to people in your 外 soto outer circle.

• 敬語 keigo respectful speech can be used to maintain or create distance between the speaker and listener.

• 申します moushimasu is used to introduce your name to someone.

• The prefixes お o andご go are used before nouns or verbs to make them honorific.

• いたす itasu is the humble version of する suru to do.

• 頂く itadaku is the humble way to say eat, drink, or receive.

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