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Hi folks! Today I want to talk about honorific speech in Japanese language. This part of Japanese grammar is inevitably will be used by everyone who ever get to Japan. Honorific speech was formed due to natural social and historical process and today it`s hard to imagine Japanese language without this feature.

You can find such info in the internet easily. But, I`ve made some sort of a verb table using the materials I have cutting off the information that is not relevant. I believe this table will help you to learn main principles of a forming of honorific speech quickly.

Firstly, it`s necessary to remember that infinitive is usually used in books, polite and respectful languages are used when you describe someone`s actions and humble lanuage you use when you`re talking about yourself:

Note, when you use humble language it means that you realize that a social rank of a person you are talking to is higher than yours.

"Do"

Infinitive - ใ™ใ‚‹ [suru]

Polite language - ใ—ใพใ™ [simasu]

Respectful language - ใ•ใ‚Œใ‚‹ใ€ใชใ•ใ‚‹ [sareru, nasaru]

Humble language - ใ„ใŸใ—ใพใ™ [itashimasu]

"Give"

Infinitive - ใใ‚Œใ‚‹ [kureru]

Polite language - ใใ‚Œใพใ™ [kuremasu]

Respectful language - ใใ ใ•ใ‚‹ [kudasaru]

Humble language - - -

"Think"

Infinitive - ใŠใ‚‚ใ† [omou]

Polite language - ๆ€ใ„ใพใ™ [omoimasu]

Respectful language - ใŠๆ€ใ„ใซใชใ‚‹ [o omoi ni naru]

Humble language - ๅญ˜ใ˜ใพใ™ [zonzimasu]

"Be"

Infinitive - ใ„ใ‚‹ [iru]

Polite language - ใ„ใพใ™ [imasu]

Respectful language - ใ„ใ‚‰ใฃใ—ใ‚ƒใ‚‹ [irassharu]

Humble language - ใŠใ‚‹ [oru]

"Speak"

Infinitive - ่จ€ใ† [iu]

Polite language - ่จ€ใ„ใพใ™ [iimasu]

Respectful language - ใŠใฃใ—ใ‚ƒใ‚‹ [irassharu]

Humble language - ็”ณใ—ไธŠใ’ใ‚‹ [mooshiageru]

"Hear"

Infinitive - ่žใ [kikuu]

Polite language - ่žใใพใ™ [kikimasu]

Respectful language - ่žใ‹ใ‚Œใ‚‹ [kikaerru]

Humble language - ๆ‹่ดใ™ใ‚‹ [haichoo suru]

"See"

Infinitive - ่ฆ‹ใ‚‹ [miru]

Polite language - ่ฆ‹ใพใ™ [mimasu]

Respectful language - ใ”่ฆงใซใชใ‚‹ [goran ni naru]

Humble language - ๆ‹่ฆ‹ใ™ใ‚‹ [haiken suru]

"Go"

Infinitive - ่กŒใ [iku]

Polite language - ่กŒใใพใ™ [ikimasu]

Respectful language - ่กŒใ‹ใ‚Œใ‚‹ [ikareru]

Humble language - ใ†ใ‹ใŒใ† [ukagau]

"Come"

Infinitive - ๆฅใ‚‹ [iku]

Polite language - ่กŒใใพใ™ [ikimasu]

Respectful language - ใ„ใ‚‰ใฃใ—ใ‚ƒใ‚‹ [irassharu]

Humble language - ๅ‚ใ‚‹ [mairu]

"Meet"

Infinitive - ไผšใ† [iu]

Polite language - ไผšใ„ใพใ™ [iimasu]

Respectful language - ไผšใ‚ใ‚Œใ‚‹ [iwareru]

Humble language - ใŠ็›ฎใซใ‹ใ‹ใ‚‹ [o me ni kakaru]

"Come back"

Infinitive - ๅธฐใ‚‹ [kaeru]

Polite language - ๅธฐใ‚Šใพใ™ [kaerimasu]

Respectful language - ๅธฐใ‚‰ใ‚Œใ‚‹ [kaerareru]

Humble language - ๅธฐใ‚‰ใ›ใ„ใŸใ ใ [kaeraseitadaku]

"Wait"

Infinitive - ๅพ…ใค [matsu]

Polite language - ๅพ…ใกใพใ™ [machimasu]

Respectful language - ใŠๅพ…ใกใซใชใ‚‹ [o machi ni naru]

Humble language - ๅพ…ใŸใ›ใฆใ„ใŸใ ใ [mataseteitadaku]

"Know"

Infinitive - ็Ÿฅใ‚‹ [siru]

Polite language - ็Ÿฅใฃใฆใ„ใพใ™ [sitteimasu]

Respectful language - ใ”ๅญ˜็Ÿฅใซใชใ‚‹ [gozonzi ni naru]

Humble language - ๅญ˜ใ˜ใ‚‹ [zonziru]

"Read"

Infinitive - ่ชญใ‚€ [yomu]

Polite language - ่ชญใฟใพใ™ [yomimasu]

Respectful language - ่ชญใพใ‚Œใ‚‹ [yomareru]

Humble language - ๆ‹่ชญใ™ใ‚‹ [haidoku suru]

"Write"

Infinitive - ๆ›ธใ [kaku]

Polite language - ๆ›ธใใพใ™ [kakimasu]

Respectful language - ๆ›ธใ‹ใ‚Œใ‚‹ [kakareru]

Humble language - ๆ›ธใ‹ใ›ใฆใ„ใŸใ ใ [kakaseteitadaku]

"Send"

Infinitive - ้€ใ‚‹ [okuru]

Polite language - ้€ใ‚Šใพใ™ [okurimasu]

Respectful language - ้€ใ‚Šใใ ใ•ใ‚‹ [okurikudasaru]

Humble language - ้€ใ‚‰ใ›ใฆใ„ใŸใ ใ [okuraseteitadaku]

"Eat"

Infinitive - ้ฃŸในใ‚‹ [taberu]

Polite language - ้ฃŸในใพใ™ [tabemasu]

Respectful language - ๅฌใ—ไธŠใŒใ‚‹ [mesiagaru]

Humble language - ใ„ใŸใ ใ [itadaku]

I really wonder how do you do with honorific speech in Japanese. What kind of methods do you have to memorize all the rules, because there are a lot of words and phrases that used in honorific speech. I know that for foreigners this might be a challenge. If you have any thoughts or questions, please, ask and leave a comment. And Good Luck!

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