Bowing, keigo, gifts and apologies: how politeness is built into Japanese, and the phrases that carry it.
31 sentences · 3 dialogues · 19 words
In Japanese, politeness is not an extra layer of words but part of the grammar: the verb itself changes depending on who you are talking to. Learners who understand this early avoid sounding either rude or oddly stiff.
Much of the etiquette is also visible — bowing, taking off shoes, handing things over with both hands. This page explains the phrases that go with those gestures and when each one fits.
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19 words from the word lists, ordered by level. A coloured edge shows what you have already practised.
Short dialogues to read along and repeat. Say one part first, then the other.
A friend’s family has invited you round.
いらっしゃい！どうぞ、上がってください。Welcome! Please come in.
お邪魔します。靴はここで脱げばいいですか。Sorry to intrude. Should I take my shoes off here?
はい、スリッパをどうぞ。Yes — here are some slippers.
ありがとうございます。これ、ドイツのお菓子です。Thank you. These are some sweets from Germany.
わあ、ありがとう！あとで一緒に食べましょう。Oh, thank you! Let’s have them together later.
はい、ぜひ。Yes, I’d love to.
You arrive late for work because of a train delay.
遅れてしまって、申し訳ありません。I’m very sorry for being late.
どうしたんですか。What happened?
電車が事故で止まってしまいました。The train was stopped because of an accident.
そうでしたか。次からは、遅れそうなときに連絡してくださいね。I see. Next time, please let me know if you’re going to be late.
はい、気をつけます。ご迷惑をおかけしました。Yes, I’ll make sure I do. I’m sorry for the trouble.
A neighbour took in a parcel for you, and you bring a small thank-you.
この間は荷物を預かっていただいて、ありがとうございました。Thank you for taking in my parcel the other day.
いいえ、とんでもないです。Oh, not at all.
これ、つまらないものですが、お礼です。It’s only a small thing, but it’s to say thank you.
そんな、お気遣いなく。でも、ありがとうございます。Oh, you shouldn’t have. But thank you.
いつもお世話になっています。You’re always so kind to me.
こちらこそ。また何かあったら言ってくださいね。Likewise. If there’s ever anything, just let me know.
The label says where a sentence belongs. The speaker next to it reads it aloud.
すみません、ちょっといいですか。Excuse me, have you got a moment?
どうぞ。Please, go ahead.
ありがとうございます。Thank you.
失礼します。Excuse me. (on entering a room)
ごめんなさい。I’m sorry.
はい、お願いします。Yes, please.
おはようございます。今日もよろしくお願いします。Good morning. I look forward to working with you again today.
大丈夫です。I’m fine. / No, thank you.
お邪魔します。Sorry to intrude.
お土産です。どうぞ。Here’s a little souvenir for you.
靴を脱いだほうがいいですか。Should I take my shoes off?
ここで写真を撮ってもいいですか。May I take photos here?
先生は何時にいらっしゃいますか。What time will the teacher come?
どうぞ召し上がってください。Please help yourself.
部長がお土産をくださいました。The head of department gave us a souvenir.
遅くなって、すみませんでした。Sorry I’m late.
お礼に手紙を書きました。I wrote a letter to say thank you.
お待たせしました。Sorry to have kept you waiting.
つまらないものですが、どうぞ。It’s only a small thing, but please accept it.
ご迷惑をおかけして、申し訳ありません。I’m very sorry for the trouble I caused.
電車の中では、電話で話さないのがマナーです。On trains, it’s good manners not to talk on the phone.
どうぞご遠慮なく。Please don’t hold back.
今日は遠慮しておきます。I think I’ll pass today.
お辞儀は、相手より少し深くするといいです。It’s good to bow a little more deeply than the other person.
土足禁止なので、ここでスリッパに履き替えてください。Outdoor shoes aren’t allowed, so please change into slippers here.
日本では、礼儀を大切にする人が多いです。Many people in Japan place great value on courtesy.
失礼ですが、お名前は？Excuse me, may I ask your name?
お忙しいところ、わざわざありがとうございます。Thank you for taking the trouble when you’re so busy.
お言葉に甘えて、遠慮なくいただきます。Then I’ll accept your kind offer and help myself.
恐縮ですが、もう一度お名前を伺ってもよろしいでしょうか。I’m terribly sorry, but may I ask your name once more?
尊敬語と謙譲語を使い分けるのは難しいです。Telling honorific and humble language apart is hard.
6 questions on the words and sentences of this field. The word questions count in your progress like any other exercise.
Read the meaning, say the sentence aloud in Japanese, then open it to compare.
すみません、ちょっといいですか。
大丈夫です。
部長がお土産をくださいました。
どうぞご遠慮なく。
Every sentence on this page was written for EveryLingua. There are no quotations from films, series, books or songs here, and no titles or names of artists — the page shows how people talk in this field, not what somebody once said.
