Lesson 122 of 126
The lesson
13.1 Speech Levels Overview
Overview
Japanese has a formal system of speech levels called keigo (敬語). This lesson introduces the three main categories and explains when and why each is used.
What is keigo?
Keigo (敬語, けいご) is the formal register of Japanese — a system of vocabulary and grammar used to show respect, politeness, and awareness of social relationships.
Keigo is not just for extreme formality. It is used daily in:
- Business and workplaces
- Speaking with customers
- Talking to teachers, doctors, or people older than you
- Formal writing and announcements
The three categories
| Category | Japanese | Reading | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Respectful | 尊敬語 | そんけいご | Elevate the listener's actions |
| Humble | 謙譲語 | けんじょうご | Lower your own actions |
| Polite | 丁寧語 | ていねいご | General politeness (です・ます) |
The in-group / out-group principle
The key to keigo is the in-group (内, uchi) / out-group (外, soto) distinction:
- Elevate the actions of the person you're speaking to (out-group)
- Lower your own actions and those of your in-group (your company, your family)
This mirrors the family vocabulary distinction you learned earlier (ちち vs おとうさん).
丁寧語 — polite language
You already know 丁寧語: the ます / です forms used throughout this course. This is the baseline of formal speech and is appropriate in most everyday situations.
尊敬語 and 謙譲語
These two are covered in detail in the following lessons. The core principle:
The action (being somewhere) is the same. But depending on whose action it is, a completely different verb is used.
Dialogue
New words
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Lingaku