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Sonkeigo verb patterns and examples

Japanese Honorific Verbs (Sonkeigo) — Complete List

~6 min read

In a nutshell: Japanese honorific verbs, or sonkeigo verbs, usually fall into three main patterns: replacing verbs, adding verbs, and (ra)reru verbs. Use this page as a clear reference list, then follow the linked lessons for full explanations.

Japanese honorific verbs, also called sonkeigo verbs when referring specifically to respectful forms, are Japanese respectful verbs used to raise the person connected to the action. This page is a practical reference list of the main sonkeigo verb patterns, while my broader guide to Japanese respectful verbs explains how the full respectful-verb system works.

Use this page as a quick lookup list for common patterns, then follow the linked lessons for step-by-step explanations and usage notes.

Quick pattern snapshot:

○ Replacing: 見るみる → ご覧になるごらんになる

○ Adding: 聞くきく → お聞きになるおききになる

○ (Ra)reru: 聞くきく → 聞かれるきかれる

Table of Contents

  1. Replacing Form Sonkeigo Verbs
  2. Auxiliary Sonkeigo Patterns
  3. Adding Form Sonkeigo Verbs
  4. (Ra)reru Form Sonkeigo Verbs

Replacing Form Sonkeigo Verbs

These are common sonkeigo verbs where the plain verb is replaced entirely by a different respectful verb.

These are some of the highest-frequency respectful verbs in Japanese, so they are worth memorising early.

If you want the full overview before diving into the list, start with my guide to Japanese respectful verbs.

○ Japanese respectful verbs

ENGLISH PLAIN VERB RESPECTFUL VERB
To be (animate) 居るいる いらっしゃる
to come 来るくる いらっしゃる
to go 行くいく △ いらっしゃる
To say 言ういう 仰るおっしゃる
To give くれる 下さるくださる
To do する 為さるなさる
To eat 食べるたべる 召し上がるめしあがる
To drink 飲むのむ 召し上がるめしあがる
To see 見るみる ご覧になるごらんになる
To be (animate); to come ; to go 居るいる・ 来るくる・ 行くいく おいでになる
To come; to go 来るくる・ 行くいく お越しになるおこしになる
To know 知っているしっている ご存じだごぞんじだ
To sit 座るすわる お掛けになるおかけになる
To come 来るくる お見えになるおみえになる
To die 死ぬしぬ お亡くなりになるおなくなりになる
To sleep 寝るねる お休みになるおやすみになる
To like 気に入るきにいる お気に召すおきにめす
To wear 着るきる 召すめす・ お召しになるおめしになる

Want the full explanation behind these special forms? Read my lesson on Japanese respectful verbs: the main replacing forms.

○ Japanese respectful verbs: the main replacing forms

Auxiliary Sonkeigo Patterns

These are respectful patterns used when a verb appears inside a larger expression, especially in forms like 〜ていらっしゃるていらっしゃる.

In other words, this section shows how sonkeigo works in auxiliary-style patterns such as “is doing”, “goes and comes back”, or “tries doing”.

ENGLISH PLAIN VERB RESPECTFUL VERB
To be (animate) ている ていらっしゃる
To come てくる ていらっしゃる
To go ていく ていらっしゃる
To give てくれる てくださる
To see てみる てご覧になるてごらんになる
To be (animate) ている ておいでになる
To come てくる ておいでになる
To go ていく ておいでになる
To be (animate) ている ておられる
[emphasise completion] てしまう ておしまいになる

For a step-by-step explanation of how these auxiliary honorific patterns work, see my guide to respectful auxiliary verbs in Japanese.

○ Japanese Respectful Auxiliary Verbs

Adding Form Sonkeigo Verbs

These honorific patterns are made by adding respectful prefixes and endings to the verb base, usually in patterns like お聞きになるおききになる and ご利用になるごりようになる.

If you want to learn how お〜になる and ご〜になる are built step by step, read Japanese respectful verbs: how the adding form works.

○ Japanese respectful verbs: how the adding form works

CATEGORY WORD TYPE FORM EXAMPLE
Adding Form Native お〜になる お聞きになるおききになる
Adding Form Sino-Japanese ご〜になる ご利用になるごりようになる
Adding Form + Nasaru Native お〜なさる お休みなさるおやすみなさる
Adding Form + Nasaru Sino-Japanese ご〜なさる ご利用なさるごりようなさる

Respectful (ra)reru Verbs

The (ra)reru pattern is less straightforward because the same shape can overlap with passive, respectful, and sometimes potential meanings.

For example, 聞かれるきかれる can be respectful or passive depending on context, while 食べられるたべられる can also overlap with the potential form.

If this pattern still feels confusing, my full guide to the Japanese (ra)reru form breaks down the respectful, passive, and potential meanings more clearly.

○ J(Ra)reru Form Sonkeigo Verbs

Class Plain Verb Passive/Respect Potential
五段ごだん 聞くきく 聞かれるきかれる 聞けるきける
一段いちだん 食べるたべる 食べられるたべられる 食べられるたべられる
来るくる 来るくる 来られるこられる 来られるこられる
するする するする されるされる 出来るできる

If you want to zoom back out from verbs and see how sonkeigo fits into the wider system, read Japanese honorifics explained.

○ Japanese honorifics explained

Japanese honorific verbs are not just one thing — they include special replacing verbs, adding patterns, auxiliary sonkeigo patterns, and the multi-purpose (ra)reru forms.