You may have heard the word: keigo.

When I first started teaching Japanese, my students would often get stuck when we reached the keigo chapter. It has a reputation for being difficult and complex.

It doesn’t have to be complicated.

Keigo is simply a way to show respect through your words. Once you understand the basic mechanics behind it, it becomes a very logical system.

In this guide, I’ll break down Japanese polite language into simple, easy-to-understand pieces so you can feel confident using it.

What is keigo?

The word keigo (敬語) literally translates to “respectful language.”

In English, we change our tone or vocabulary depending on who we’re talking to. You wouldn’t speak to your school principal or your boss the exact same way you speak to your best friend.

Japanese takes this a step further. Instead of just changing your tone, you actually change the verbs and words you use. Keigo allows you to show respect based on age, social status, or your relationship with the person you’re talking to.

The three main types of keigo

A lot of beginners get confused because they think keigo is just one big list of difficult words. Actually, it’s split into three specific categories.

Understanding the difference between these three is the key to mastering Japanese politeness:

• Teineigo (丁寧語): Polite language. This is the standard polite Japanese you learn on day one.
• Sonkeigo (尊敬語): Respectful language. This is used to elevate (raise up) the person you’re talking to.
• Kenjougo (謙譲語): Humble language. This is used to lower yourself down to show respect to the other person.

Here’s a quick reference table showing how one basic verb changes across the three types of keigo.

Teineigo (polite language)

If you’re a beginner, you already know Teineigo!

Teineigo is the standard polite language built around desu (です) and masu (ます). It’s the safest and most common way to speak Japanese. You can use it with strangers, coworkers, and older people.

Think of Teineigo like wearing a clean, neat uniform. It isn’t overly fancy, but it shows good manners and ensures you don’t offend anyone.

Sonkeigo (respectful language)

Sonkeigo is where things get a bit more advanced. This is respectful language, and its entire purpose is to lift the other person up.

Imagine you’re putting the person you’re talking to on a pedestal. Because of this, you never use Sonkeigo to talk about yourself. You only use it when describing the actions of someone you highly respect, like a boss, a customer, or a teacher.

For example, if you want to ask a customer what they’ll eat, you don’t use the standard word taberu (to eat). You use the special Sonkeigo word meshiagaru.

Kenjougo (humble language)

If Sonkeigo is about lifting the other person up, Kenjougo is the exact opposite.

Kenjougo is humble language. You use it to lower yourself down. By humbling your own actions, you automatically make the other person look higher and more respected.

Because you’re humbling yourself, you only use Kenjougo to talk about your own actions (or the actions of your close family/company members when speaking to an outsider).

If you’re talking to a client and telling them that you’ll go to their office, you don’t use the standard ikimasu (I’ll go). You use the humble word mairimasu.

(Note: This is exactly why Japanese people say “Itadakimasu” before eating! They’re humbly receiving the food.)

Regional variations in polite Japanese

While the keigo we learn in textbooks is based on standard Tokyo Japanese, politeness can look very different depending on where you travel in Japan.

One of my favorite examples of this is in the Kansai region, particularly in Kyoto.

In Kyoto, people often use a special polite form by adding ~haru to the end of verbs. Instead of using stiff standard keigo, they might say ikaharu (to go) or shiharu (to do).

It’s a beautiful, softer way of speaking. It bridges the gap between casual speech and ultra-formal standard keigo. It shows respect, but also shows a sense of warmth and closeness that standard keigo sometimes lacks.

If you travel to Kyoto or Osaka, listen closely for the ~haru ending!

Summary and tips for beginners

I know that learning all these new verb forms can feel like you’re learning a completely new language. But remember my golden rule for language acquisition: input before output.

You don’t need to perfectly memorize how to speak in Sonkeigo and Kenjougo right away. Start by simply trying to recognize the words when you hear them in anime, dramas, or podcasts.

Here’s my best advice for beginners tackling keigo:

• Stick to Teineigo (desu/masu) for now. It’s perfectly polite for 95% of the situations you’ll face as a beginner.
• Learn to recognize the most common customer service phrases. When you go to a convenience store in Japan, the staff will use keigo. Just practice listening to it!
• Never use Sonkeigo for your own actions. (Don’t put yourself on a pedestal!)
• Don’t stress over mistakes. Even native Japanese young adults have to take special classes to learn proper keigo before they enter the business world!

Keigo is just another tool to help you connect with Japanese people and their culture.