Honorifics Introduction Lesson 2
This lesson covers essential honorific verbs (sonkeigo) including いらっしゃる and おっしゃる, used to show respect to superiors.
A Visit to the Office
Imagine you are at a client's office. You need to ask if the manager is present and confirm what they said during the meeting. Using standard polite forms might sound a bit blunt or informal in this high-stakes business environment.
Special Honorific Verbs
Some common verbs have completely different forms when used in honorific speech. Today we focus on two of the most frequent ones.
Watch out
Examples in Context
Observe how these verbs replace standard verbs to show respect.
部長はいらっしゃいますか。
Is the manager here?
先生がそうおっしゃいました。
The teacher said so.
明日、いらっしゃいますか。
Will you be coming tomorrow?
Which verb is the correct honorific for 'to say'?
- いる
- いらっしゃる
- 言う
- ✓ おっしゃる
おっしゃる is the honorific form of 言う (to say).
Register and Nuance
Honorifics are essential for maintaining proper social distance in professional settings.
Standard vs Honorific
言う
Neutral
言いました
おっしゃる
Respectful
おっしゃいました
When should you use 'いらっしゃる'?
- When talking about your own plans
- ✓ When talking about a superior's actions
- When talking to a close friend
Honorifics are used to show respect to someone of higher status, not for yourself or peers.
Conjugation Patterns
These verbs follow the standard polite conjugation rules for group 1 verbs.
Summary
Using honorific verbs like いらっしゃる and おっしゃる is a key skill for N3-level Japanese, helping you navigate professional and formal interactions with grace.