Japanese Honorifics

Japanese Honorifics Explained: Keigo, Sonkeigo, Kenjougo, and Teineigo

A Complete Guide to Japanese Honorifics: From Nai to Umai

~8 min read

Japanese honorifics is the broad English label for the language Japanese uses to show respect, humility, politeness, and social distance. Keigo is the Japanese term people often use for this system, especially when talking about polite, respectful, and humble language more directly. In everyday English, learners often use “Japanese honorifics” and “keigo” almost interchangeably, but keigo usually refers more specifically to the language patterns inside that wider system.

Even if you are not learning business Japanese, keigo still matters. You hear it in shops, restaurants, customer service, emails, conversations with teachers, and everyday situations where you want to sound more natural, considerate, or socially aware.

In practice, keigo helps you do real things in Japanese: make requests more naturally, apologise more appropriately, talk about other people politely, and adjust your tone to match the relationship and situation.

For most learners, teineigo is the first practical step because forms like desu and masu appear everywhere. Sonkeigo and kenjougo usually come later, once you are comfortable with basic politeness and ready for more context-sensitive honorific choices.

If you want a structured path rather than jumping around, start with the Complete Japanese Keigo Course.

For a full overview of lesson topics, browse the Japanese honorifics course index:

Course Index

What Are Japanese Honorifics?

Japanese honorifics are the system Japanese uses to show respect, humility, politeness, and social distance.

They appear in:

○ verbs

○ nouns

○ prefixes

○ titles

○ sentence endings

They also change depending on two key things:

○ who you are talking about

○ who you are talking to

That’s why keigo can feel tricky at first.

It’s not just grammar.

It’s grammar plus relationships.

This guide walks you through the full keigo system in clear English, including:

○ sonkeigo

○ kenjougo

○ teineigo

○ common real-life patterns like desu / masu, respectful verb forms, humble verb forms, and everyday polite set phrases

Use this page as your roadmap, then move through the lessons one step at a time.

Here are three fast examples:

○ Teineigo: 行くいく → 行きますいきます

○ Sonkeigo: 見るみる → ご覧になるごらんになる

○ Kenjougo: 言ういう → 申すもうす

If you want a simpler beginner-first explanation before diving deeper, start here:

○ How Japanese Honorifics Work | Keigo Guide for Beginners

Why Japanese Honorifics Matter

Japanese honorifics do much more than “sound formal.”

They help you express:

○ politeness

○ humility

○ respect

○ distance

○ intention

○ social awareness

In other words, they help interactions run smoothly.

Some of the more advanced honorifics can wait until later, especially things like specialised business expressions, uncommon honorific vocabulary, and fine-grained nuance between similar respectful forms. But ignoring the system itself will hold your Japanese back.

Even if you never plan to work in a Japanese office, keigo still matters. You will hear and use parts of it in shops, restaurants, customer service, emails, conversations with teachers, talking about other people politely, and everyday situations where you want to sound more natural, considerate, or socially aware.

Key Takeaway: you do not need to master everything at once.

Where Should I Start With Keigo?

Whether your goal is business Japanese or simply more natural everyday Japanese, honorifics are a major part of life in Japanese.

If you are completely new to keigo, start with the beginner foundations first.

For most learners, teineigo is the first practical step because forms like desu and masu show up everywhere. Sonkeigo and kenjougo usually come later, once you are comfortable with basic politeness and ready to handle more context-sensitive honorific choices.

These lessons give you the cultural background and core framework you need before moving into the deeper parts of the system.

Suggested starting point

If you are completely new to keigo, start with the beginner foundations first in my Quick Start to Japanese Honorifics guide.

○ Quick Start to Japanese Honorifics | Keigo Guide for Beginners

These lessons give you the foundation you need for the rest of your keigo journey.

The Three Main Types of Japanese Honorifics

If keigo feels huge, start here.

Most of what you need to know falls into three main categories:

1. Sonkeigo — raises the other person

2. Kenjougo — lowers the speaker or the speaker’s side

3. Teineigo — adds polite distance toward the listener

Once you understand these three types, the rest of the system becomes much easier to follow.

Sonkeigo: Respectful Language

Sonkeigo (尊敬語そんけいご) creates vertical distance by raising the person connected to the word.

Because of that, it often reflects social hierarchy or status.

There are respectful:

○ verbs

○ nouns

○ adjectives

○ adverbs

A respectful word raises the person linked to it.

For example, think about the noun “name” in the question:

“What is your name?”

The word “name” is linked to the person you are asking about. If you use the respectful version of that noun, you express respect toward that person.

Learn Sonkeigo

For a full step-by-step breakdown, see the Complete Japanese Sonkeigo Course.

Complete Japanese Sonkeigo Course

This course walks you through respectful verb patterns, respectful nouns, and the main sonkeigo structures step by step.

Japanese Honorific Verbs (Sonkeigo) — Complete List

Japanese Honorific Nouns, Adjectives, and Adverbs (Sonkeigo) — Complete List

You can also browse my full Japanese Honorific Verbs, Nouns, Adjectives, and Adverbs (Sonkeigo) lists for common patterns and examples.

Kenjougo: Humble Language

Kenjougo (謙譲語けんじょうご) also creates vertical distance, but instead of raising the other person directly, it lowers the speaker or the speaker’s side.

There are humble:

○ verbs

○ nouns

There are no humble adjectives or adverbs in this system.

A humble verb or noun lowers the person linked to the word.

Because of that, it often reflects social hierarchy or status.

For example, think about the noun “company” in the sentence:

“My company is small.”

The word “company” is linked to the speaker’s side. If you use the humble form, you lower your side and create a vertical relationship.

Learn Kenjougo

○ Complete Japanese Kenjougo Course

This section will cover the core humble patterns used to lower your side and speak appropriately in formal contexts.

Coming soon.

○ Japanese Honorific Verbs (Kenjougo) — Complete List

For common humble verb patterns, start with my Japanese Honorific Verbs (Kenjougo) complete list.

○ Japanese Honorific Nouns (Kenjougo) — Complete List

Coming soon.

Teineigo: Polite Language

Teineigo (丁寧語ていねいご) creates horizontal distance.

Unlike sonkeigo and kenjougo, it does not mainly raise or lower someone.

Instead, it creates polite space between you and the listener.

The two main polite forms are:

○ desu

○ masu

When you attach desu or masu to the end of a clause, you create social distance toward the listener.

That is what makes the sentence polite.

For example, take the clause:

“I am Kotobakun.”

If you add a polite ending, you create polite distance toward the listener.

Learn Teineigo

○ Complete Japanese Teineigo Course

This section focuses on the polite patterns learners meet first, especially desu, masu, and the role of polite distance in everyday Japanese.

Coming soon.

○ Japanese Honorific Masu (Teineigo) — Complete List

A complete list of common masu patterns and examples.

Coming soon.

○ Japanese Honorific Desu (Teineigo) — Complete List

Coming soon.

Ready to Learn Sonkeigo and Other Advanced Topics?

Once you understand the overall system, the next step is to study each branch in more detail.

If you want to begin with respectful language, start with the Complete Japanese Sonkeigo Course.

You can also use the search bar to find specific topics, or browse the full index page to jump straight to a lesson.

If you’d rather follow everything in order, the Complete Japanese Keigo Course gives you a full structured route through the system.

If there is a topic you want covered, feel free to get in touch or become a patron to request lessons.

Start the Complete Japanese Keigo Course

With the right foundation, Japanese honorifics stop feeling like a wall of rules and start feeling like a system you can actually use.

If you want a full, structured path through Japanese honorifics, this is the best place to go next:

Complete Japanese Keigo Course

It brings together the beginner foundations, core grammar, advanced patterns, and real-life usage you need to understand keigo properly.

Japanese Honorifics FAQ