Honorific and Humble Language ๅฐๆฌ่ชใจ่ฌ่ญฒ่ช
ใใใซใกใฏ็ใใ๏ผ็งใฏใตใฏใฉใงใใFor today's post, we will be talking about honorific and humble verbs in the Japanese language. I am pretty sure everyone has been gotten onto for not speaking appropriately at some point in their lives. Like English, in Japan you have to consider how to talk to others, especially in a formal setting. Unfortunately, because Japanese contains countless verbs and variations of how to use a verb depending on the situation, knowing the right way to say something based on formality can be difficult. However, the best way to start learning how to speak Japanese regarding formality would be to learn the appropriate verbs. Here are some of the necessary verbs one has to know when considering formality.
ใใ means "to be" or "to exist" for animate nouns. When the Japanese say that someone whom they respect is somewhere, they would use the verb ใใใฃใใใ (Irassharu). However, if a person were to humbly speak about where they were, they would use ใใ (oru).
Another important thing to note is that when using te forms for both honorific and humble language, both these verbs are used at the end of the verb. For example, if you were to say "I am studying," you would say ใ็งใฏๅๅผทใใฆใใใพใใ(Watashi wa benkyoushiteorimasu)
Examples
ๅ
็ใฏๆๆฅญใซใใใฃใใใใพใใใ
Sensei wa jyugyou ni irasshaimasen.
My teacher is not in the classroom.
็งใฏๅณๆธ้คจใซใใใพใใ
Watashi wa toshokan ni orimasu.
ๅฝผๅฅณใฏๆฌใ่ชญใใงใใใฃใใใใพใใ
Kanojo wa hon o yondeirasshaimasu.
ใใผใใใใใฎใงใใฌในใใฉใณใๆขใใฆใใใพใใ
De-to ga aru node, resutoran o sagashiteorimasu.
I am finding a restaurant because I have a date.
2.่กใ (iku) and ๆฅใ (kuru)
่กใ means "to go" and ๆฅใ means "to come." However, in formal setting, a single verb can be used for both meanings. When talking about a higher-up, one uses the same ใใใฃใใใ. However, if someone were to say, "I'm going to the convenience store" in a humble way, they have to say ใ็งใฏใณใณใใใซๅใใพใใ(Watashi ha konbini ni mairimasu).
็คพ้ทใฏๅปบ็ฉใซใใใฃใใใใพใใใ
Shachou wa tatemono ni irasshaimashita.
The manager came to the building.
็งใฏๆฌๅฑใซๅใใพใใใ
Watashi wa honya ni mairimashita.
ๅ
็ใฏ้ง
ใซใใใฃใใใใพใใ
Sensei wa eki ni irasshaimasu.
The teacher is going to the train station.
3.้ฃในใ (taberu) and ้ฃฒใ (nomu)
The former is "to eat," and the latter is "to drink," but when speaking formally or humbly, a single verb can be used for eating and drinking. When speaking about someone who has a higher status than you, you have to use ๅฌใไธใใ (meshiagaru). But if you were to say you ate something in a formal setting, you have to use ใใใ ใ(itadaku), which actually sounds like what the Japanese would say before eating their meal. It is also the formal way to say ใใใ (morau), which means "to receive."
็งใฏๆฉใ้ฃฏใใใใ ใใพใใ
Watashi wa bangohan o itadakimasu.
I am going to eat dinner.
ๅ
่ผฉใฏใๅผๅฝใๅฌใไธใใฃใฆใใพใใ
Senpai wa obentou o meshiagatteimasu.
Senpai is eating a bento.
ๅ
็ใฏใใใณใผใใๅฌใไธใใใพใใ
Sensei wa yoku ko-hi o meshiagarimasu.
Oftentimes the teacher will drink coffee.
ใใ means "to do" and there are two different verbs used for formal setting. If talking about a higher-up doing something, ใชใใ (nasaru) is used, whereas ใใใ (itasu) is what we use when speaking humbly about ourselves.
็งใฏๅๅผทใใใใฆใใใฃใใงใใ
Watashi wa benkyou itashite yokattadesu.
It's a good thing I have studied.
ๅ
็ใฏๆ็ใใชใใฃใใใจใใใใพใใ๏ผ
Sensei wa ryouri o nasatta koro ga arimasu ka?
Has the teacher cooked before?
็งใฏใใใใใใใพใใใ
Watashi wa sore o itashimashita.
่จใ means "to say." If you were to state what your boss said in Japanese, you have to use ใใฃใใใ (ossharu). For yourself, you must use ็ณใ (mousu).
ๅฝผใฏใกใใฃใจ้
ใใฆใใใจใใฃใใใฃใฆใใพใใใ
Kare wa chotto okureteiru to osshatteimashita.
He said he would be running a bit late.
ใตใฏใฉใจ็ณใใพใใ
ๅ
็ใฏใใฃใใใฃใใฎใงใใ่ใใใพใใใ
Sensei wa osshatta node okikishimashita.
Because the teacher was speaking, I listened.
In the Japanese language, there are many other verbs that are used in place of typical verbs when speaking formally. However, some end up being formatted differently. For example, if one were to say "Mr. Tanaka was reading," they would say ใใใชใใใใฏใ่ชญใฟใซใชใใพใใใใ(Tanaka san wa oyomininarimashita). However, for yourself, the ending of of the verb should be ใใพใ (shimasu) rather than ใชใใพใ (narimasu).
ๅ
็ใฏใใใๆณณใใซใชใใพใใ
Sensei wa yoku ooyogininarimasu.
Oftentimes, the teacher swims.
ใขใกใชใซใซใๅธฐใใใใคใใใงใใ
Amerika ni okaerisuru tsumori desu.
I am planning to return to America.
็งใฏในใใผใใใไฝใใใพใใใ
Watashi wa supi-chi wo otsukurishimashita.
I have created my speech.
One of the reasons why Japanese is a complex language is because of the fact one has to be really cautious when speaking in a certain setting. It is one of the most frustrating things about being a foreigner. However, with good practice, it can lead to a less awkward and more pleasant conversation. Here are some other verbs that can be useful when speaking in a formal setting.
Honorific Verbs (When talking about those who you highly respect)
ใ่ฆงใซใชใ (goranninaru)-to see, equivalent to ่ฆใ (miru)
ใใ ใใ (kudasaru)-to give to you/someone else, equivalent to ใใใ (kureru)
ใไผใฟใซใชใ (oyasumininaru)-to sleep, equivalent to ๅฏใ (neru)
Humble Verbs (When talking about yourself)
ใใใ (gozaru)-to be or exist for inanimate objects, equivalent to ใใ (aru)
ใงใใใ (degozaru)-something is, equivalent to ใงใ (desu)
ๅทฎใไธใใ (sashiageru)-to give to someone or do something for someone, equivalent to ใใใ (ageru)
Thatโs it for todayโs lesson! ใใใ็ตใใใพใ๏ผใใใใจใใใใใพใใใย
Illustration was made by yours-truly
PS: My apologies for not posting in a while. The past few weeks have been a bit eventful and there is a chance it might get busier for the next month or so. However, I will try to post every week if I can. ใใใใจใใใใใพใใใ
