Questions tagged [keigo]
敬語. Honorific speech in Japanese.
164
questions
2
votes
2answers
133 views
Humble verbs in plain form
I saw in Sekiro that some characters are using humble verbs like 参る but in their plain form.
What's the point of this?
Would anyone actually use a humble verb without the polite ending in real life?
1
vote
0answers
171 views
How do I solve the Dirac equation in Japanese?
In a famous book of Richard Feynman there is a story about him struggling with the Japanese language when it comes to keigo.
Take a look at the excerpt from “Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!“, part ...
2
votes
1answer
91 views
what is ございまする?
Watching Gintama, ep. 35. Teenage girl, talking to her date (and also previously, other characters), have used でございまする as a sentence ending "desu" phrase. Is this an archaic / made up ...
1
vote
1answer
139 views
Short form of extra modest expression
I recently came across an example of someone saying 'お返しする' rather than 'お返しします' about 18 seconds into this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vazHI4jN6lc&t=18s
Under what circumstances should ...
0
votes
2answers
216 views
Confusion over whose actions can be used with もらう/いただく
I encountered this sentence in the first book of Minna Intermediate:
わざわざお時間をとっていただいたのに
It is used by a student discussing her meeting with a professor regarding her (the student's) thesis paper.
So ...
0
votes
1answer
85 views
What level of politeness/respect should a customer use towards a shop owner?
I made a purchase at a store and received an email from the shop owner.
What level of respect/politeness should my reply be, in addition to using 丁寧形 throughout? For example, how should I choose ...
2
votes
1answer
76 views
Understanding でございます in「ただ今ご紹介いただいた田中でございます」
I was looking up ございます in デジタル大辞泉. I found an odd sentence example
（２）（補助動詞）補助動詞「ある」の意の丁寧語。「すでにお願いして―・す」「いかがお過ごしで―・しょうか」「ただ今ご紹介いただいた田中で―・す」「おめでとう―・す」「いっそ死にとう―・す」
I'm puzzled why でございます is used in「...
0
votes
1answer
93 views
Parsing a humble form expression (maybe)
その鞄は機内へのお持ち込みはできません
You cannot bring that bag on board
I'm struggling to understand the grammar of this sentence. I'm aware that you can make the humble form of a verb by adding an お onto the masu-...
6
votes
2answers
399 views
Terminology: Does the term 美化語 include all ご・お・etc. prefixes, or only ones outside of a 敬語 context?
This seems like a basic question, but I can't find an answer to it:
As far as I know, 美化語 refers to the ご・お・etc. prefix on words for mere beautification. However, I have seen some ambiguity in its ...
3
votes
1answer
128 views
Confusion on the politeness vs. formality terminology
I was reading the "Dictionary of Japanese Grammar" series, and I found the way it uses the term formality vs. politeness contradictory and confusing, so I wanted some clarifications.
Here ...
3
votes
1answer
146 views
Honorific on a number
I've been having a play with Duolingo and I came across this utterance:
果物をお一つどうぞ。
So far I've come across some pretty unnatural stuff and it's left me rather skeptical.
I've never seen an honorific ...
4
votes
1answer
144 views
The grammar behind お願いできる
Lesson 1 of みんなの日本語中級I teaches that
何とかお願いできないでしょうか
can be used to insist on a request while acknowledging that it is unreasonable. Regarding the grammar behind お願いできる, is the following ...
0
votes
1answer
214 views
contradictory evidence for 何に as (1) なんに and (2) なにに
is 何に pronounced (1) なんに or (2) なにに here: お飲み物は何になさいますか。?
(1) www.youtube.com/watch?v=fU-hnuSM098 @0:20 provides evidence (NB: despite the possibly incorrect ローマ字 (roumaji) found there and in the &...
5
votes
3answers
258 views
Difference and usage between こちら and 私
I would like to know the difference between the two sentences
こちらを見ていた
and
私を見ていた
The translation is the same I think
She was looking at me
is こちら and 私 interchangeable when using を after ?
EDIT:...
2
votes
1answer
112 views
Who's the implicit subject in お世話になりました?
Which (if any at all) of the following two understandings of お世話になりました is correct?
The implicit subject is あなた. The お〜になります pattern is a 敬語 construction. The full sentence in plain form is あなたが（私の）...
2
votes
1answer
165 views
「させていただく」or「させてくださる」
その俳優が大好きなので、ぜひ私に彼へのインタビューを（ ）。
A.させてくださいませんか B.させていただけませんか
Here is my understanding of these two options (which can be wrong):
A: "you" is the subject, will "you" not give "...
0
votes
1answer
283 views
ご存じ how to use properly and why
I found a couple of examples using this noun; neither makes a lot of sense.
i think that ご存じ is an irregular polite form of 知る. However, if that is the case it is a bit odd as the polite form of a ...
1
vote
1answer
130 views
How does 参｛まい｝る relate to love?
Google translate lists "be madly in love" and "be infatuated" as alternate translations for 参｛まい｝る.
When I saw it I was like, huh?
I searched 参｛まい｝る 意味｛いみ｝ on Google too and the ...
2
votes
1answer
144 views
謙譲語：お「verb stem」する
男：今朝の新聞、お読みになりましたか。
女：いえ、お読みしませんでした。
According to my textbook, this response is incorrect? Why? I thought this pattern is 謙譲語 and suitable. Are there additional rules around this pattern that I'm ...
0
votes
1answer
126 views
Mixing formal and informal language?
I recently wrote something and has someone check it, and then had someone else look over it to see if it's natural. The text in question was this,
人間は生存を唯一の目的とする獣であり、これらの進化の衝動がなければ、他の目的はありません。
...
3
votes
1answer
103 views
Question about 際 usage in Shinkansen Master N2
Studying for the JLPT N2, I came across the following question in the Shinkansen Master Grammar book.
( ) 際は、こちらのテーブルをお使いいただけます。
a) お食事の
b) ご飯を食べる
c) お一人様の
I thought that a) and b) are good enough ...
2
votes
2answers
86 views
Using いらっしゃる vs いる when referring to 方
I have the following from a tourism article:
ただ、2018年｛ねん｝に築地｛つきじ｝から豊洲｛とよす｝に市場｛いちば｝機能｛きのう｝が移転｛いてん｝したことをご存知｛ぞんじ｝の方｛かた｝もいらっしゃるでしょう。「築地｛つきじ｝は今｛いま｝も観光｛かんこう｝に値｛あたい｝するスポットなの？」。そんな疑問｛ぎもん｝を持｛も｝つ方｛かた｝...
3
votes
1answer
111 views
Understanding 「…でけっこうですので、…」
In my textbook, I encountered the phrase
先生のお時間があるときでけっこうですので、[わからない言葉を教えていただきたいんですが]
I assume that the meaning is approximately "I'd like to ask you something, but it's OK if you don't have time"...
2
votes
1answer
735 views
Does 'masu' form have its own te-form?
Things like「どういたしまして」, someone used「と申しまして」to their name, and more that I can't recall at the moment, it seemed like it's a te-form of masu-form, but I can't find any explanations of it.
If it exists, ...
3
votes
1answer
120 views
ございます after adjective (with ウ音便)
If I understand this correctly, ありがとうございます is formed as follows. First, the adjective ありがたい is turned into the adverb ありがたく. Then, in ありがたく+ございます, ウ音便 takes place and ありがたく becomes ありがとう.
But in ...
1
vote
1answer
141 views
When to use 丁寧語 and when to use 謙譲語 when talking about myself
Like probably everbody I have a hard time with Keigo. I get the basic concept of in-group and out-group and neutral-group but I am really confused about switching between 丁寧語 and 謙譲語 when talking ...
1
vote
2answers
124 views
What level of formality is used in companies and web pages?
I'm new here, and I'm full of doubts... (sorry)
Today I want to ask about how should I address people that work in a company in a webpage?
I was recently hired at a consultancy agency to translate ...
1
vote
0answers
124 views
Use of ございます to describe existence
Why in this dialog is「ございません」the appropriate answer?
「兄弟がありますか。」「いいえ。私は兄弟が（＿＿＿）。
I understand that ございません would parallel あります in the first sentence, but shouldn't I use the polite form of iru to ...
1
vote
0answers
293 views
Why is `お一人様の際は、こちらのテーブルをお使いいただけます` wrong?
In 新完全{しんかんぜん}マスター文法{ぶんぽう}N2 there is an exercise to choose the correct phrase to make the full sentence correct.
(...)際{さい}は、こちらのテーブルをお使{つか}いいただけます。
a) お食事{しょくじ}の
b) ご飯{はん}を食{た}べる
c) お一人様{...
9
votes
2answers
630 views
How do you thank somebody for doing two things in Keigo?
I often run into situations where I have to thank somebody for doing two things in business emails. The sentence would essentially be:
“Thank for doing A and B.”
I am thinking something around ...
3
votes
1answer
553 views
The use of 申し上げる and 申す
According to Jisho.com, 申す and 申し上げる are both kenjougo. From what I can tell, the meanings are also very similar, if not identical.
However, the words are not interchangeable. We can use 申す (not ...
2
votes
1answer
97 views
Ask for a facility visit to another Japanese company
I'm in the process of asking another company if they would be so kind to let us visit their facility. Some kind of tour of the company.
They already accepted us going there, but we would like to ask ...
1
vote
0answers
137 views
explanation verbs form 座る 座って 座り
Hi may I ask for explanation of the following, I read here form verb 座る (sit) and polite form 掛ける
for form Please sit down there is this forms
座る -> 座れ (very rude) -> 座って (better form) -> 座ってください (...
3
votes
1answer
233 views
Appropriate polite language when referencing yourself in a letter written on behalf of others?
Maybe this is a bit too hypothetical, but I thought it was an interesting question nonetheless.
I was writing a business email in Japanese, using pretty formal language, on behalf of someone who ...
6
votes
1answer
469 views
Politeness / Respectfulness / Humility / Formality
The wikipedia article "Honorific speech in Japanese" states that
Japanese has grammatical functions to express several different emotions. Not only politeness but also respectfulness, humility and ...
0
votes
1answer
118 views
もらいます／いただきます usage
When I received a souvenir from my boss, the following statement will be used.
私は課長にお土産をいただきました。
What about if I want to make a statement that A received a souvenir from his boss and his boss is ...
2
votes
1answer
129 views
How to politely phrase "what problem are you trying to solve?"
I'm struggling to find a way to phrase:
"Could you let me know what problem you are trying to solve with ${COMPANY_PRODUCT}?"
in a business email. The context is that we're offering a ...
1
vote
2answers
182 views
What is the verbかけ- form used ? If any examples then please explain
Which sentence is correct for example,"They didn't call me/invited me for the meeting!"
I tried to making below sentences but i am not sure which one is correct(or no one):
私を会議に招待していません。/ ...
3
votes
1answer
98 views
What kind of conjugation is「お召しなすって」?
This is from 茨海{ばらうみ}小学校 by 宮沢賢治, probably written almost 100 years ago.
「どうぞスリッパをお召しなすって。只今{ただいま}校長に申しますから。」
My question is about お召しなすって. I think 召す is 尊敬語 meaning "to wear" in this case. I know ...
1
vote
1answer
243 views
Meaning of おまちする
From: https://www.serebii.net/blackwhite/subwaymaster.png
Context: The character who says this to you (the player) is on the subway along with you. They are also about to battle you.
ようこそ ...
2
votes
1answer
140 views
Where can I learn the proper way to answer professional emails?
I haven't found any good blogs or books explaining properly the way to start an email or to answer one.
For example, I received an email asking me about my availabilities for an interview:
...
21
votes
1answer
2k views
Can polite and casual Japanese be combined?
What I mean is, is there any overlap? are you allowed to speak in a way that combines both forms of speech?
like are there words that, even if using formal speech, are typical to use casual speech ...
4
votes
1answer
236 views
Both parties in conversation using *kenjougo*?
So I'm reading a kid's story, where a tanuki with a swollen stomach calls a rabbit doctor.
I believe that both parties are using kenjougo/sonkeigo when speaking with each other. (I'm guessing that ...
12
votes
1answer
411 views
I don't understand how お世話になっております is a valid expression
In a post about the validity of お待ちになっております:
The grammar おVになる is 尊敬語, respect language. You can't use it to talk
about yourself. -ておる, on the other hand, is 謙譲語 (well, in the
standard dialect at ...
5
votes
1answer
199 views
How do I figure out what the implied subject is?
I was doing some JLPT N2 practice and I came across this:
あのう、山本先生でいらっしゃいますか。私、先日、先生の講演会で（ ）鈴木と申します。
１ ご覧になった
２ お会いになった
３ お目にかかった
４ お伺いした
My thinking:
Some form of 会った should be filled in the blank. ...
3
votes
1answer
191 views
どうして「お聞き遊ばして」が現代語訳では「お吸いなさいまして」になるのか分からない
現代訳を頼りに、泉鏡花さんの「外科室」を読もうとしているところですが、分からない箇所があります。
原文の
看護婦は医学士の旨を領してのち、かの腰元に立ち向かいて、
「もう、なんですから、あのことを、ちょっと、あなたから」
腰元はその意を得て、手術台に擦り寄りつ、優に膝のあたりまで両手を下げて、しとやかに立礼し、
「夫人、ただいま、お薬を差し上げます。どうぞそれを、...
1
vote
1answer
227 views
Family questions
When I speak with my mother I must say "haha", when I talk about other people's mother, I must say "okaasan", but what about when I talk about my mother to other people?
There is nothing about that ...
1
vote
1answer
94 views
How can one determine the appropriate meaning of 伺う in formal speech?
Is it based on the particle connecting the object of the verb?
For example,
に/へ伺う
to go
vs
を伺う
to ask
Is it purely based on the context of the sentence for distinguishing between to go, to come, ...
5
votes
1answer
422 views
Are both of these correct sentences: 「ここに住所を書いてくださいますか？」「ここに住所を書いてくださいませんか？」？
I believe 「ここに住所を書いてくださいますか？」 means “Could you please write the address here?”
And 「ここに住所を書いてくださいませんか？」 means “Would you please write the address here?”
An exercise I’m doing shows the second sentence ...
6
votes
1answer
372 views
Relationship between Respect and Politeness in Japanese
As I begin to learn sonkeigo and kenjougo, I have come across several websites stating that levels of politeness and levels of respect are independent and not to be confused. I understand the concept ...
