Japanese Honorific Speech: Sonkeigo vs. Kenjougo

Keigo (polite speech) in Japanese is divided into several subcategories, the most important of which are Sonkeigo (honorific speech) and Kenjougo (humble speech). Sonkeigo is used to describe the actions of other people, especially superiors, clients, or elders, to show them respect. In Sonkeigo, verbs are modified to raise the actor's status. For example, 'suru' (to do) becomes 'nasaru', and 'taberu' (to eat) becomes 'meshiagaru'.

On the other hand, Kenjougo is humble speech used to describe one's own actions or those of one's in-group (like family or coworkers) when speaking to an outsider. In Kenjougo, the speaker lowers their own status to show respect to the listener. For instance, 'suru' becomes 'itasu', and 'taberu' becomes 'itadaku'.

It is a common grammatical error to mix these two forms, such as using Sonkeigo for one's own actions, which sounds arrogant. Learning when and how to apply Sonkeigo and Kenjougo is essential for business situations and formal communication in Japan. Mastering the verbs and patterns is a key milestone for advanced learners.