Honorific Language (keigo)

Humble Language (kenjōgo) (お〜する / ご〜いたす)

Kenjōgo (謙譲語, humble language) is used to lower the actions of oneself or one's own group. In this way, the listener or the person being respected is elevated indirectly. This form is used when speaking to superiors, guests, or people outside the company.

The main pattern for verbs is 「お＋動詞の連用形＋します／いたします」, for example お持ちします (will carry it for you) and お手伝いいたします (will help you). New example: 「後ほどお電話いたします」 (I will call you later).

The pattern 「お＋動詞の連用形＋しております」 is also used to describe one's own state politely, for example お待ちしております (I am waiting respectfully).

For Sino-Japanese nouns, 「ご＋名詞＋いたします」 is used, such as ご案内いたします (will guide you), ご説明いたします (will explain), and ご連絡いたします (will contact you).

The pattern 「お＋動詞の連用形＋いたします」 is also used by shops or service providers to state their own action, for example お届けいたします (will deliver).

Specific humble words to memorize:

• 申す／申し上げる(もうす／もうしあげる, to say humbly) — humble form of 言う. Used when introducing oneself. 例) 「佐藤と申します」 (My name is Sato).. Since 申す is already a humble form, 「申される」 is incorrect.
• 拝見する(はいけんする, to look at humbly) — humble form of 見る. 例) 「資料を拝見します」 (I will look at the documents).
• 参る(まいる, to go or come humbly) — polite form 参ります. The form 参られます is not common.
• うかがう(訪ねる・聞く, to visit or to hear humbly) — 例) 「ご意見をうかがいます」 (I will hear your opinion).
• おる(いる, to be, humbly) — used when referring to a member of one's own company, including a superior, to outsiders. 例) 「課長は外出しております」 (The section chief is out of the office).
• いただく(to receive, eat, or drink humbly) — used for one's own action of receiving or consuming something.

A polite pattern for asking permission is 「〜てもよろしいでしょうか」 with kenjōgo on the verb, for example お持ちしてもよろしいでしょうか, 申し上げてもよろしいでしょうか, and うかがってもよろしいでしょうか.

The expression 「お借りする」 (to borrow humbly) is also kenjōgo. This pattern is used to express thanks for something borrowed from a person being respected. 例) 「資料をお借りして、助かりました」 (I borrowed the documents, and it was a great help).

Sonkeigo (お〜になる / ご〜になる)

Sonkeigo (尊敬語, respectful language) is used to elevate the actions of the listener or of a person being respected. Do not use it for your own actions.

There are two basic patterns:

• 「お＋動詞の連用形＋になる」 for native Japanese verbs, for example お読みになる (to read) and お使いになる (to use).
• 「ご＋漢語＋になる」 for Sino-Japanese nouns, for example ご利用になる (to use) and ご出席になる (to attend).

The forms 「〜になりました」 (has ... respectfully), 「〜になりますか」 (did ... respectfully?), and 「〜になってください」 (please ... respectfully) can be formed from these patterns.

The verb 「見る」 has a special sonkeigo form, namely ご覧になる(ごらんになる, to look at respectfully). This form is used when asking a superior whether he has seen something.

The form 「ご覧になってください」 is used to politely ask a guest to look at something. 例) 「こちらの説明書をご覧になってください」 (Please look at this instruction manual).