尊敬語 raises the person being discussed; 謙譲語 presents someone’s action humbly; 丁寧語 makes speech polite toward the listener. いらっしゃる is respectful, 伺う is humble, and です／ます is polite. The choice also depends on whose side the person is on and who is listening. Modern official guidance distinguishes additional subtypes, so this three-part model is a useful starting point.
also written sonkeigo / kenjougo / teineigo / keigo / 敬語
尊敬語 — raise them; used for their actions · 謙譲語 — lower yourself; used for your actions · 丁寧語 — です／ます; politeness toward whoever is listening
Sentences
6 sentences, word by word
尊敬語 · their action, raised
polite
？
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資料
しりょう ［1］
documents; materials
noun · the standard business word for handout materials
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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ご覧
ごらん ［0］
looking (honorific)
honorific noun from 見る · the ご is part of the word
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に
に
to; at; into
particle · a point something reaches — a place, a time, a person, or a state
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なりました
なりました
did (honorific)
お／ご〜になる pattern · raising the listener's action
尊敬語N3respectful · their action
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か
か
(question)
particle · keeping it a question rather than a statement
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Have you seen the documents?
謙譲語 · my action, lowered
polite
。
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資料
しりょう ［1］
documents
noun · the same documents, now the object of my looking
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を
を
marks the direct object
particle · pronounced お
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拝見
はいけん ［0］
humbly looking
humble noun for 見る · used only of your own looking
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しました
しました
did
polite past of する · completing the humble compound
謙譲語N3humble · my action
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I've looked at the documents.
尊敬語 · the dedicated verb
polite
？
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部長
ぶちょう ［0］
department head
noun · a title, and titles are used instead of さん
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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何時
なんじ ［1］
what time
interrogative · the question word, so が would follow if it were the subject
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に
に
to; at; into
particle · a point something reaches — a place, a time, a person, or a state
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いらっしゃいます
いらっしゃいます
will come (honorific)
dedicated honorific for 来る・行く・いる · overrides the お〜になる pattern
尊敬語N3respectful · dedicated verb
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か
か
(question)
particle · the polite question ending
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What time will the department head be arriving?
謙譲語 · going to see them
polite
。
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明日
あした ［3］
tomorrow
noun used adverbially · relative time, no particle
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お
お
(humbling prefix)
prefix · the お of the お〜する frame, not a politeness you can drop
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伺い
うかがい ［0］
humbly visit
stem of 伺う · the humble verb for 行く・聞く・訪ねる
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します
します
do
お〜する pattern · the humble frame around the stem
謙譲語N3humble · my action
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I'll come by your office tomorrow.
うち／そと · humbling your own boss
polite
。
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田中
たなか
Tanaka
surname · no さん, because he is on my side of the line
うち／そとN3inside vs outside
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は
は
as for — the topic
particle · written は, read わ
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ただいま
ただいま
at the moment
adverb · the formal 'right now', not the greeting
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席
せき ［1］
desk; seat
noun · 席を外す is the set phrase for stepping away
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を
を
marks the direct object
particle · pronounced お
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外して
はずして
has stepped away
て-form of 外す · the polite way to say someone is not at their desk
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おります
おります
is (humble)
humble いる · lowering your own colleague to the client
謙譲語N3humble · my side
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I'm afraid Tanaka is out at the moment.
丁寧語 · the separate dial
polite
。
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先生
せんせい ［3］
teacher
noun · the honoured subject
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も
も
too; as well
particle · replaces を and が, never stacks with them
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そう
そう
so; that way
adverb · standing in for what was said
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おっしゃって
おっしゃって
said (honorific)
dedicated honorific for 言う · raising the teacher's speech
尊敬語N3respectful · their speech
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いました
いました
was (polite)
polite past of いる · the 丁寧語 layer, aimed at the listener
丁寧語N3polite · toward the listener
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The teacher said so as well.
Structure
The patterns each type uses
お＋Verb stem＋になる
お読みになる. The general pattern when a verb has no dedicated honorific. Also 〜られる, which is lighter.
お＋Verb stem＋する／いたす
お持ちします. Your action, done for their benefit. お持ちいたします is a further step down.
行く→いらっしゃる／伺う
する→なさる／いたす, 言う→おっしゃる／申す, 見る→ご覧になる／拝見する. These override the patterns and have to be memorised.
Any verb＋ます／です
Layers on top of either of the others: いらっしゃいます, 伺います. It is a separate dial, not a third option.
Meaning
The question that decides it
Whose action is it? If the person you respect is doing it, use 尊敬語. If you are doing it, use 謙譲語. That single question resolves the choice in almost every real sentence, and it is the part most explanations skip.
The two directions are not interchangeable.拝見する is humble, so 先生が拝見しました lowers your teacher — the opposite of what you meant. Their looking is ご覧になりました.
丁寧語 is a separate dial.です／ます tracks your relationship with the listener, not with the person in the sentence. That is why 伺います is both humble and polite at once, with no conflict.
Inside and outside changes everything. Talking to a client about your own boss, your boss is on your side, so you humble him: 田中は今おりません — no さん, no honorific. Inside your own office, the same sentence about the same person becomes 田中さんはいらっしゃいません.
Stacking two respectful forms on one action is usually excessive.ご覧になられる stacks ご覧になる and られる. The caution concerns two respectful markers doing the same job. More does not automatically read as more respectful; different honorific functions may combine acceptably.
Watch out
Where keigo goes wrong
先生が拝見しました
拝見する is humble, so this lowers your teacher. Their looking is ご覧になりました. Mixing the directions is the single most common keigo mistake.
ご覧になられる
Two honorifics on one verb — 二重敬語. ご覧になる is already respectful. Piling more on reads as uncertainty, not deference.
Calling your own boss 田中さん to a client
To an outsider your boss is on your side, so no さん and no honorific: 田中はおりません. Inside the office the same person is 田中さん again.
Also asked
Questions people ask about keigo
What's the quickest way to choose?
Ask whose action it is. Theirs → 尊敬語. Yours → 謙譲語. 丁寧語 is not a third choice — it layers on top of whichever you picked.
Is 丁寧語 a kind of keigo?
Yes, but it works on a different axis. です／ます tracks your relationship with the listener; the other two track the person in the sentence. That is why they combine without conflict.
When do I use 謙譲語 about my own company?
Whenever you are speaking to someone outside it. Your colleagues and even your boss are うち — inside — so you humble them to a client and honour them in the office.
Is 二重敬語 always wrong?
As a rule yes, though a few doubled forms have become fixed and accepted — お伺いします among them. New combinations you invent will read as overreaching.
Do I need keigo as a learner?
Recognition matters more than production. You will hear it constantly in shops, stations and offices. Producing it comes later, and Japanese speakers are forgiving about learners' keigo in a way they are not about each other's.
What about 御中, いたす, 申す?
申す is the humble 言う and いたす the humble する — both about your own actions. 御中 is different: an address form on envelopes to an organisation rather than a person.
