Keigo Basics: Polite Japanese for Beginners

Keigo (敬語) is the system of polite and honorific language that shows respect in Japanese. It sounds intimidating, but beginners only need the basics.

The three levels

• Teineigo (丁寧語) — polite language (です/ます). This is what beginners use everywhere and it is perfectly respectful.
• Sonkeigo (尊敬語) — honorific language that elevates the person you''re speaking about (a customer, a boss).
• Kenjougo (謙譲語) — humble language that lowers yourself to show respect.

Where beginners start

Master です/ます first — it covers nearly all everyday polite situations. You don''t need sonkeigo or kenjougo to be respectful as a learner.

A few useful set phrases

• よろしくお願いします — a polite “please/nice to meet you”.
• ありがとうございます — thank you (polite).
• すみません — excuse me / sorry.

Learn keigo gradually. As you advance toward business Japanese, sonkeigo and kenjougo become important — but at the start, polite です/ます is all you need.