N2 · 40 words

Polite language at work

The humble and honorific words used with clients, visitors and senior colleagues.

Polite Japanese at work runs in two directions. Honorific words raise the other side — 御社(おんしゃ), お見(み)えになる — and humble words lower your own — 弊社(へいしゃ), 拝見(はいけん)する, 伺(うかが)う. The line between the two runs between companies, not between ranks: speaking to a client, you use humble words even about your own director. English has nothing like it, which is why the commonest mistake is to honour your own side. The basic honorific verbs such as いらっしゃる come earlier; these are the ones that office life adds.

The words

Verb (17)

拝見するto see; to look at (humble)VerbN3

お送(おく)りいただいた資料(しりょう)を拝見(はいけん)しました。I have looked at the documents you sent.

Humble for 見(み)る.

拝読するto read (humble)VerbN2

先生(せんせい)のご著書(ちょしょ)を拝読(はいどく)いたしました。I have read your book.

Humble for 読(よ)む; what is read belongs to the person you are honouring.

拝借するto borrow (humble)VerbN2

すみません、ペンを拝借(はいしゃく)してもよろしいでしょうか。Excuse me, may I borrow a pen?

拝聴するto listen to (humble)VerbN2

本日(ほんじつ)は貴重(きちょう)なお話(はなし)を拝聴(はいちょう)でき、大変(たいへん)勉強(べんきょう)になりました。It was a privilege to hear such a valuable talk today; I learned a great deal.

存じるto know; to think (humble)VerbN3

その件(けん)については存(ぞん)じております。I am aware of that matter.

Humble for 知(し)る and 思(おも)う; “I do not know” is 存(ぞん)じません.

存じ上げるto know (a person; humble)VerbN2

山田(やまだ)先生(せんせい)のお名前(なまえ)はよく存(ぞん)じ上(あ)げております。I know Professor Yamada’s name well.

Used of knowing a person, not a fact.

承るto receive; to hear (humble)VerbN2

ご注文(ちゅうもん)を承(うけたまわ)りました。We have received your order.

Humble for 受(う)ける and 聞(き)く: an order, a message, a request.

伺うto visit; to ask (humble)VerbN3

明日(あした)の午後(ごご)、御社(おんしゃ)に伺(うかが)います。I will call at your company tomorrow afternoon.

Humble for 行(い)く, 訪(たず)ねる and 聞(き)く.

申し上げるto say (humble)VerbN3

心(こころ)よりお礼(れい)申(もう)し上(あ)げます。I offer you my heartfelt thanks.

Humbler than 申(もう)す; also after お + stem, as in お願(ねが)い申(もう)し上(あ)げます.

申し伝えるto pass on (a message; humble)VerbN2

戻(もど)りましたら、担当(たんとう)の者(もの)に申(もう)し伝(つた)えます。I will pass that on to the person in charge when they are back.

参上するto call on; to come (very humble)VerbN2

後(のち)ほど、こちらから参上(さんじょう)いたします。I will come to you later.

Very humble; mostly in set phrases.

お目にかかるto meet (humble)VerbN2

一度(いちど)お目(め)にかかって、ご挨拶(あいさつ)申(もう)し上(あ)げたいと存(ぞん)じます。I would like to meet you once to introduce myself.

Humble for 会(あ)う.

頂戴するto receive (humble)VerbN2

結構(けっこう)なお品(しな)を頂戴(ちょうだい)し、ありがとうございます。Thank you for such a lovely gift.

Humble for もらう; from a child, ちょうだい means “give me”.

賜るto be granted; to receive (from above)VerbN2

格別(かくべつ)のご高配(こうはい)を賜(たまわ)り、厚(あつ)くお礼(れい)申(もう)し上(あ)げます。We are deeply grateful for the special consideration you have shown us.

Written and ceremonial.

お見えになるto come (honorific)VerbN2

お客様(きゃくさま)がお見(み)えになりました。Your visitor has arrived.

Honorific for 来(く)る.

ございますto be; to exist (very polite)VerbN3

お手洗(てあら)いは二階(にかい)にございます。The toilets are on the first floor.

Polite for ある; でございます for です.

恐れ入るto be sorry; to be grateful (humble)VerbN2

恐(おそ)れ入(い)りますが、お名前(なまえ)をお聞(き)かせいただけますか。Excuse me, but may I have your name?

恐(おそ)れ入(い)りますが opens a polite request.

This list belongs to Politeness, favours and manners — six lists and 240 words that can also be practised as a whole.

Practise this list

Multiple choice and gaps, drawn from exactly these 40 words. Whatever you get wrong comes back tomorrow.