Japanese is complicated. There, I said it! But part of its complexity, or its beauty, is Keigo, "敬語" (敬けい meaning respect, and 語ご a suffix for languages), which is the polite form in Japanese. Let's try to learn a little more about this very particular form that makes some people tear their hair out!

The cliché of exquisite politeness, not so cliché after all 

When we think of Japanese people, we often picture them as highly educated and extremely polite. In French, there is certainly a formal register, but it is mainly expressed through the use of the formal "vous" form. There are also words to avoid in polite conversation… but overall, using "vous" is sufficient.

In Japanese, things are much more complicated. It's not simply a matter of avoiding colloquial words. Even common verbs like "to look," "to go," "to show," etc., will be banned.

The importance of perspective: are you "low" or is your interlocutor "high"?

When we delve into the details, we can see that there are different types of politeness. Some verbs allow us to "belittle" the person using them. Other verbs allow us to "uplift" the person to whom they are addressed.

For example, let's take the verb 食べる (たべる) which means "to eat". This is a basic form. If you want to express modesty, for example when someone offers you something to eat, you would use いただく (This is the famous いただきます！ that one says before eating).

In this way, you will express that you "humbly" receive what is offered to you. On the other hand, if you give food to someone and you want to express the "superiority of their position" compared to yours, you will use the verb "召し上がる" (めしあがる).

Keigo, a whole new language to learn

Of course, in everyday life, and to express what's on your mind, this register of language isn't absolutely necessary. However, if you want to develop your professional career in Japan, you'll need to learn a whole new aspect of the Japanese language!

This vocabulary list is indeed essential in the context of professional relationships. This is particularly true when you need to speak with clients or a partner company.

More than ever, we can see that we never truly learn Japanese completely, but rather that we master it better and better each time. With keigo, the polite form in Japanese, this will be another step forward.

Some basic keigo verbs