In Japanese, polite language, or 丁寧語 transcribed teineigo, is a style of speech that is typically used between strangers, acquaintances, or people who are at some social distance from each other. This is one of the main types of Japanese honorific language, or 敬語 transcribed keigo. This style of speech is contrasted with familiar or plain language, which is used between close friends and family and is the type of language you’ll usually find in a dictionary.
The base requirement for using polite language in Japanese is to use the polite form of the verb or other predicate. This is often called the です transcribed desu form or ます transcribed masu form, as these are the polite endings you’ll usually see used in the present tense.
However, there are some other linguistic forms that often go along with this style of speech, or can elevate it, including:
Using polite or formal versions of some specific vocabulary words.
Using a formal version of です transcribed desu, でございます transcribed de gozaimasu.
Using more polite sentence structure choices.
Using 美化語 transcribed bikago or “beautiful words,” which are fancier versions of common words, which can make your speech sound more elegant or educated.
In this post, we’ll discuss how to use polite speech in Japanese beyond the simple use of ます transcribed masu and です transcribed desu. Ready to have a look? Let’s dive in!
When to use polite speech in Japanese?
In Japanese, you’ll use polite speech as a default form of interaction when meeting a new person. Though it’s not particularly elevated or formal, it’s less familiar than plain speech, so you can use it with a broad spectrum of people. Here are some things to consider when choosing whether to use polite speech:
Proximity of relationship: Is this a conversation between friends / family members or between strangers / acquaintances? Less familiar people should be spoken to in polite language, while friends and family members can be addressed more casually.
Social rank: Is one of the speakers higher in the hierarchy than the other? Anyone above you in the hierarchy at work or school should be addressed in polite language or respectful language, but never in plain form.
Formality of the situation: Are the speakers at a formal event or a casual one? If you’re in a business meeting, chances are you’ll use polite language, even if you’re friendly with your coworkers.
Personal expression: Some speakers wish to present themselves as polite and proper people at all times, and so choose to use elements of polite speech with nearly everyone. This is closely tied to age and gender.
Speaker’s feelings: In some situations, a speaker might choose to use polite language even with close friends/family in order to maintain mental distance, such as after an argument, when they want to express (passive-aggressively) that they are still upset.
For more on how to make the choice between plain and polite speech, check out our post contrasting plain vs. polite forms in Japanese!
What are some common features of polite speech in Japanese?
The most essential feature of polite speech in Japanese is the use of the polite form of the sentence’s predicate (the verb or verb-like part). This polite form is sometimes called the です transcribed desu form or ます transcribed masu form, because these are the polite endings you’ll mostly see in the present tense. Compare:
| Plain Form | Polite Form |
|---|---|
あたらしい Transcription: Atarashii Translation: It’s new. | あたらしいです Transcription: Atarashii desu Translation: It’s new. |
私は毎日ケーキを食べる Transcription: Watashi wa mainichi kēki o taberu. Translation: I eat cake every day. | 私は毎日ケーキを食べます。 Transcription: Watashi wa mainichi kēki o tabemasu. Translation: I eat cake every day. |
The exact way you form the polite form will depend on several factors, such as the tense, the type of predicate, and whether the sentence is positive or negative. If you want to learn more about how to form the polite form of the predicate, these posts are the best place to start:
Types of verbs in Japanese → polite forms of present tense verbs
Past tense in Japanese → polite form of past tense verbs
Adjectives in Japanese→ polite forms of predicate adjectives
State-of-being in Japanese → polite forms of predicate nouns
However, there are also several other linguistic features which often show up when you’re using 丁寧語 transcribed teineigo. Let’s have a look at some of these!
Polite vocabulary words
Some particular vocabulary words have “formal” versions, which are often used alongside polite speech. Though you don’t have to use these formal versions to use polite speech, you’ll hear them more often in more formal situations. Here’s a sample of several of these words. Notice that several of them share the same kanji as their standard equivalents.
| Standard word | Formal equivalent | English |
|---|---|---|
私 Transcription: watashi | 私 Transcription: watakushi | I, me |
昨日 Transcription: kinō | 昨日 Transcription: sakujitsu | yesterday |
今日 Transcription: kyō | 本日 Transcription: honjitsu | today |
今 Transcription: ima | 只今 Transcription: tadaima | now |
後で Transcription: ato de | 後ほど Transcription: nochi hodo | later |
本当に Transcription: hontō ni | 誠に Transcription: makoto ni | really, sincerely |
もう一度 Transcription: mō ichi do | 再度 Transcription: saido | one more time |
から Transcription: kara | より Transcription: yori | later |
この間 Transcription: kono aida | 先日 Transcription: senjitsu | the other day |
いい Transcription: ii | よろしい Transcription: yoroshii | good |
Even the word です transcribed desu itself has a formal equivalent: でございます transcribed de gozaimasu. Categorized as a “special polite form,” it bumps up the level of formality. Let’s look more closely at how to use this form!
でございます (de gozaimasu): The formal です (desu)
In formal situations, the word です transcribed desu, used after na-adjectives and nouns, can be replaced by でございます transcribed de gozaimasu. Using this elevates the level of formality considerably.
Though it is rare in everyday conversation, you can use でございます transcribed de gozaimasu with i-adjectives as well. However, you’ll need to slightly change the ending of the adjective before adding just ございます transcribed gozaimasu.
| i-adjective ending | Ending change | Example |
|---|---|---|
transcribed ai | transcribed ai→ transcribed ō | 危ない Transcription: abunai Translation: dangerous 危のうございます Transcription: abunō gozaimasu Translation: is dangerous (formal) |
transcribed ii | transcribed ii → transcribed ū | 優しい Transcription: yasashii Translation: kind 優しゅうございます Transcription: yasashū gozaimasu Translation: is kind (formal) |
transcribed ui | transcribed ui → transcribed ū | 安い Transcription: yasui Translation: inexpensive 安うございます Transcription: yasū gozaimasu Translation: is inexpensive (formal) |
transcribed oi | transcribed oi → transcribed ō | 面白い Transcription: omoshiroi Translation: interesting 面白うございます Transcription: omoshirō gozaimasu Translation: is interesting (formal) |
These i-adjective forms may be uncommon in general, but they are actually part of a few very common phrases! Look closely at the following familiar expressions and their derivation:
| Common phrase | Source of the phrase |
|---|---|
ありがとうございます Transcription: Arigatō gozaimasu Translation: Thank you (formal) | ありがたいです Transcription: arigatai desu Translation: I am grateful. |
おはようございます Transcription: Ohayō gozaimasu Translation: Good morning (formal) | はやいです Transcription: hayai desu Translation: It is early. |
Can you see that these polite expressions are simply the gozaimasu-form of the adjectives ありがたい transcribed arigataimeaning grateful and はやい transcribed hayaimeaning early？
Other uses of this form are more likely to be heard in fiction or on TV. Characters might say things such as:
- お料理は美味しゅうございました。Transcription: Oryōri wa oishū gozaimashita.Translation: The dish was delicious.
- お姫様、ここは危のうございます！Transcription: Ohime-sama, koko wa abunō gozaimasu!Translation: Princess, it is dangerous here!
Polite sentence structure choices
Much like in English, sentence structure and the way you pronounce your words can also signal politeness in Japanese. This will take some practice, but here are two examples:
Polite speech usually uses the full forms of words and sentences, meaning that there are fewer contractions and particles are not dropped. Compare:
- Casual:今何読んでるの？Transcription: Ima, nani yonderu no?Translation: What are you reading at the moment?yonderu is a contraction of yonde iru; particles are dropped.
- Polite:今、何を読んでいますか。Transcription: Ima, nani o yonde imasu ka.Translation: What are you reading at the moment?No contractions, particles are all included.
It’s considered more polite to phrase a question, invitation, or request using the negative form rather than the affirmative, as this softens your phrasing. Compare:
- Polite:すみません、写真を撮ってくれますか。Transcription: Sumimasen, shashin o totte kuremasu ka.Translation: Excuse me, could you take our picture?
- More polite:すみません、写真を撮ってくれませんか。Transcription: Sumimasen, shashin o totte kuremasen ka.Translation: Excuse me, won’t you take a picture?
The polite te-form: 〜まして (mashite)
In formal situations that call for the use of very polite speech, you will sometimes hear the formal te-form, 〜まして (mashite). It derives from the polite form of a verb according to the following pattern:
Unlike a normal te-form, though, this polite te-form cannot be combined to form expressions like 〜てください transcribed te kudasai, 〜てしまう transcribed te shimau, or〜ている transcribed te iru. Instead, it is frequently used to set up an apology, comment on a completed action, or to imply that the sentence is trailing off, unfinished.
- 遅くなりまして、申し訳ございません。Transcription: Osoku narimashite, mōshiwake gozaimasen.Translation: I’m very sorry for being late.
- 続きまして、今年の文化祭のテーマを発表したいと思います。Transcription: Tsuzukimashite, kotoshi no bunkasai no tēma o happyō shitai to omoimasu.Translation: Continuing on, I want to present the theme for this year’s culture festival.
- 今朝、旅行会社から連絡がありまして….Transcription: Kesa, ryokōgaisha kara renraku ga arimashite….Translation: A message came from the travel agency this morning….
美化語 (bikago) or “beautification words”
In Japanese, 美化語 transcribed bikago are words you can use to beautify your speech. Using them may make you sound more refined, elegant, educated, or polite.
There’s no exact equivalent to 美化語 transcribed bikago in English, but you can think of them somewhat like graceful euphemisms, like saying “I need a visit to the restroom” instead of “I’m going to the bathroom.”
Here’s an example of how you might use these in a sentence:
Beautification words aren’t tied to a single level of formality, for example, you may hear them in casual situations, such as when addressing small children. However, they are used as a way to make speech more polite, and so using them in combination with polite forms is quite common.
Let’s look at these a bit more closely!
How to form 美化語 (bikago)?
In Japanese, most 美化語 transcribed bikago are formed by adding お transcribed o or ご transcribed go to the beginning of a noun or occasionally an adjective. These two prefixes have the same meaning, but usually お transcribed o is mostly added to words of Japanese origin, while ご transcribed go is used mostly with words of Chinese origin. Occasionally, you’ll need to make some additional changes as well, but this is uncommon.
Usually the “beautified” version of a word is a fancier, more elegant version of a word that is used without お transcribed o or ご transcribed go in casual speech. However, there are some cases where the “non-beautified” version isn’t used much anymore. Today, words like this are always or almost always used with お transcribed o or ご transcribed go, even in casual speech.
Let’s look at some examples! Cells in in gray are words that are almost always used with お transcribed o or ご transcribed go, and don’t really have a “non-beautified” version anymore.
| Beautified words | |
|---|---|
お金 Transcription: okane Translation: money | お店 Transcription: omise Translation: shop |
お水 Transcription: omizu Translation: water | お寿司 Transcription: osushi Translation: sushi |
お菓子 Transcription: okashi Translation: sweets | お祭り Transcription: omatsuri Translation: festival |
お葬式 Transcription: osōshiki Translation: funeral | お天気 Transcription: otenki Translation: weather |
お掃除 Transcription: osōji Translation: cleaning | ご挨拶 Transcription: goaisatsu Translation: greetings; politeness phrases |
おにぎり Transcription: onigiri Translation: rice ball | お守り Transcription: omamori Translation: amulet |
ごちそう Transcription: gochisō Translation: feast | ごめん Transcription: gomen Translation: sorry |
You’ll also see words with these prefixes used in a variety of set phrases, many of which you’ve probably already encountered!
| Beautified set phrases | |
|---|---|
お大事に Transcription: odaiji ni Translation: get well soon | ごゆっくり Transcription: goyukkuri Translation: take your time |
ご自由に Transcription: gojiyū ni Translation: go right ahead | ご心配なく Transcription: goshinpai naku Translation: don’t worry about it |
お休みなさい Transcription: oyasumi nasai Translation: good night | お帰りなさい Transcription: okaeri nasai Translation: welcome home |
When to add お (o) or ご (go) to the beginning of a word?
In Japanese, you’ll mostly add お transcribed o or ご transcribed go to form 美化語 transcribed bikago as a way to sound more elegant or refined. However, be aware of these points!
お transcribed o and ご transcribed go can be used with many words, mostly shorter words relating to daily life, but they are almost never used on katakana loan words. One exception is おトイレ transcribed otoiremeaning bathroom.
Choosing to use beautification words is one way in which many women choose to express their feminine identity in speech. As a result, expressions such as お花 transcribed ohanameaning flower, お米 transcribed okomemeaning rice and お水 transcribed omizumeaning water sound very feminine.
It’s easy to overdo it and end up sounding humorous by mistake. When in doubt, keep it to only words which always have their prefixes, or else to combinations you have heard native speakers use before.
One place you’ll hear a lot of 美化語 transcribed bikago is when adults talk to young children. As a consequence, you’ll also encounter it in children’s books. Adding these prefixes softens the tone.
- さあ、お買い物がおわったから、おうちに帰ろうね。Transcription: Sā, okaimono ga owatta kara, ouchi ni kaerō ne.Translation: Alrighty, we’re all done shopping, so let’s head home, OK?
- お山の上に、お月さまがのぼりました。Transcription: Oyama no ue ni otsuki-sama ga noborimashita.Translation: Up over the mountain rose the moon.
美化語 [bikago] with changes besides お [o] or ご [go]
Some 美化語 transcribed bikago have forms that are completely different from their “coarse” or “normal” equivalents. These beatification words either don’t use お transcribed o or ご transcribed go at all, or undergo some additional changes on top of adding お transcribed o or ご transcribed go. Here are some examples of words like these.
| Coarse vocabulary | 美化語 transcribed bikago | English |
|---|---|---|
腹 Transcription: hara | お腹 Transcription: onaka | stomach |
飯 Transcription: meshi | ご飯 Transcription: gohan | cooked white rice; |
便所 /トイレ Transcription: benjo/toire | お手洗い、洗面所、etc. Transcription: otearai, senmenjo, etc. | restroom |
うまい Transcription: umai | 美味しい Transcription: oishii | delicious |
まずい Transcription: mazui | 美味しくない Transcription: oishikunai | bad (taste) |
死ぬ Transcription: shinu | 亡くなる Transcription: nakunaru | to die |
食う Transcription: ku’u | 食べる Transcription: taberu | to eat |
腹が減る Transcription: hara ga heru | お腹がすく Transcription: onaka ga suku | to become hungry |
To Sum Up
In this post, we discussed some features of polite language, or 丁寧語 transcribed teineigo, in Japanese. Here are some main points to remember:
The main feature of polite language is the use of the masu or desu form.
Some other linguistic features that also are associated with “polite” speech include:
The use of “formal” vocabulary words, like 私 transcribed watakushimeaning I instead of 私 transcribed watashimeaning I.
Using でございます transcribed de gozaimasu as a formal version of です transcribed desu.
Making certain polite sentence structure choices, such as making a request using a negative rather than an affirmative question.
Using 美化語 transcribed bikagomeaning beautification words as elegant versions of everyday vocabulary.
Ready to practice? Check out these Japanese polite language activities! Happy learning!
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