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Lesson 50 — 謙譲語けんじょうご(humble) ·丁寧語ていねいご

BOOK II · 初級 II みんなの日本語 · Mini no Nihongo

L50 · 謙譲語 humble

Name Date

REF謙譲語けんじょうご(humble) ·丁寧語ていねいご

謙譲語けんじょうごlowersyourself and your in-group, which raises the listener by contrast. Use it about your own actions.

1. お + ます-stem + します

Chinese-origin nouns: ご + noun + します —

The critical distinction:

= honorific, about them (L49)

= humble, about me (L50)

Even more humble: お + stem + いたします.

2. Special humble verbs

PlainHumble

3. 丁寧語ていねいご— extra-polite copula

Normal丁寧語ていねいご

/

でございます is for things and places. For people use でいらっしゃいます:

4. ⚠尊敬語そんけいごvs謙譲語けんじょうご— the test trap

ActionAbout THEM (L49)About ME (L50)
go / come
be present
eat / drink
say
do
see
know

Using a humble verb about your boss insults them; using an honorific about yourself sounds arrogant. Direction is everything.

5. In-group / out-group (ウチとソト)

When speaking to an outsider about your own company's president, use humble forms — your boss is inside your group:

○ (to a client)

✕

6. Self-introduction template

アメリカから参まいりました。

こちらこそ、どうぞよろしくお願ねがいいたします。

Set expressions会話かいわ

Key vocabulary

参まいりますおりますいたします申もうします申もうし上あげますいただきます拝見はいけんします存ぞんじます伺うかがいますお目めにかかりますございますでございますおりますただ今いまのちほど先さきほどこちらどちら様さま本日ほんじつ明日あした(みょうにち)

詳説 In depth — grammar notes

謙譲語けんじょうご — lowering yourself

Humble language talks about your own actions (and those of your group) in a way that leaves the other person standing higher. Whenever you are the one doing something for or in front of a superior, this is the register.

LevelPatternExample
standard
special verbsa separate word
extra-polite copula

1. お + ます-stem + します

PlainHumble
JapaneseEnglish
Shall I carry your bags?
I'll see you to the station.
I'll contact you later.
I'll show you to the meeting room.

The humble form only works when the action touches the other person. ✕ — nobody benefits, so use the plain polite form. Watching TV alone is just .

Native word → お, Chinese compound → ご, exactly as in L49.

2. Special humble verbs

Plain謙譲語Notes
L41
JapaneseEnglish
My name is Miller. Pleased to meet you.
I'll come again tomorrow.
I have read your letter.
I know it well.
This is the first time we've met.

3. 丁寧語ていねいご — the extra-polite copula

NormalExtra polite
JapaneseEnglish
Yes, this is Tanaka speaking.
The lift is over there.
Will this do?

ございます belongs to shops, hotels and telephone calls. Between colleagues it sounds theatrical.

4. ⚠ 尊敬語 vs 謙譲語 — the test trap

Who actsRegisterExample
the other person
you
VerbHonorific (them)Humble (me)
go / come
eat
see
say
do
be
know

Applying the humble form to someone else insults them, and the honorific form to yourself sounds ridiculous. ✕ · ○.

5. ウチ and ソト — in-group, out-group

Talking to an outsider, your own company, family and colleagues are ウチ: describe them humbly, however senior they are inside.

SituationCorrect
to a client about your own boss
to a colleague about your own boss
to a client about the client's boss
JapaneseEnglish
I'm sorry, Tanaka is away from his desk.
My father sends his regards.

Never add さん to your own group in front of outsiders: ✕ → ○.

6. A self-introduction you can reuse

初はじめまして。ABC社しゃのミラーと申もうします。

東京とうきょう支社ししゃで営業えいぎょうを担当たんとうしております。

きょうは新あたらしい製品せいひんについてご説明せつめいさせていただきます。

どうぞよろしくお願ねがいいたします。

Error table

✕○Why
humble form used about someone else
honorific used about yourself
your own boss is ウチ to outsiders
no さん for your own group
humble needs a beneficiary

Try translating

EnglishJapanese
My name is Miller.
Shall I carry your luggage?
I'll see you to the station.
I have read your email.
I'll come again tomorrow.
I'm sorry, Tanaka is out at the moment.

練習 Practice — 13 questions

  1. Q1 in-group rule

    Speaking to a CLIENT about your own company president, who is out:

    ウ
    チ
    ・
    ソ
    ト
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B Your own boss is in-group toward outsiders → humble おりません
  2. Q2 丁寧語

    Confirming a person's identity, most polite:

    で
    い
    ら
    っ
    し
    ゃ
    る
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B でございます is for things/places; people take でいらっしゃいます
  3. Q3 humble form

    'I'll carry your luggage.' (humble)

    お
    〜
    し
    ま
    す
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B お + ます-stem + します = humble (になります = honorific, about THEM)
  4. Q4 ご + noun + します

    'I'll show you around.' (案内あんない= Chinese-origin)

    ご
    〜
    し
    ま
    す
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B Chinese-origin noun → ご + noun + します
  5. Q5 special humble

    Humble of行いきます・来きます

    参 まい
    る
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B 参まいります
  6. Q6 special humble

    Humble of います

    お
    る
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B おります
  7. Q7 special humble

    Humble of 言いいます

    申 もう
    す
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B 申もうします/申もうし上あげます
  8. Q8 special humble

    Humble of 見みます

    拝見 はいけん
    す
    る
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B 拝見はいけんします
  9. Q9 special humble

    Humble of 会あいます

    お
    目 め
    に
    か
    か
    る
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B お目めにかかります
  10. Q10 丁寧語

    'This is the meeting room.' (most polite)

    で
    ご
    ざ
    い
    ま
    す
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B です → でございます (いらっしゃいます is for people)
  11. Q11 introduction

    Self-introduction: 'My name is Miller.'

    申 もう
    し
    ま
    す
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B About yourself →申もうします
  12. Q12 direction check

    THE trap: your boss is eating. Which verb?

    尊敬 そんけい
    v
    s
    謙譲 けんじょう
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B About THEM → honorific召めし上あがります. いただきます would humble your boss.
  13. Q13 special humble

    Humble of 聞ききます・訪たずねます

    伺 うかが
    う
    1. A
    2. B
    3. C
    4. D
    B 伺うかがいます covers both 'ask' and 'visit' when the subject is you.

解答 Answer key

  1. Q1 B Your own boss is in-group toward outsiders → humble おりません
  2. Q2 B でございます is for things/places; people take でいらっしゃいます
  3. Q3 B お + ます-stem + します = humble (になります = honorific, about THEM)
  4. Q4 B Chinese-origin noun → ご + noun + します
  5. Q5 B 参まいります
  6. Q6 B おります
  7. Q7 B 申もうします/申もうし上あげます
  8. Q8 B 拝見はいけんします
  9. Q9 B お目めにかかります
  10. Q10 B です → でございます (いらっしゃいます is for people)
  11. Q11 B About yourself →申もうします
  12. Q12 B About THEM → honorific召めし上あがります. いただきます would humble your boss.
  13. Q13 B 伺うかがいます covers both 'ask' and 'visit' when the subject is you.