Business Japanese and Keigo: A Beginner’s Guide to Polite Japanese

Keigo (敬語) is the honorific, respectful register of Japanese, and the hallmark of business Japanese. If you want to work in a Japanese company or talk to Japanese clients, you need its basics. For Hindi speakers the idea is not new: Hindi already has tu, tum and aap, and respectful forms like “padhaariye” and “farmaaiye”. This guide covers business Japanese and keigo: the 3 types, a verb table, introducing yourself, business-card etiquette and email phrases.

Prefer Hindi? यह पोस्ट हिंदी में पढ़ें.

The 3 types of keigo

Type	Japanese name	Function	Hindi comparison	Example
Polite	Teineigo (丁寧語)	Makes speech polite	The ordinary “aap” tone	食べます (tabemasu)
Respectful	Sonkeigo (尊敬語)	Raises the other person’s actions	“aap padhaariye / farmaaiye”	いらっしゃる (irassharu), おっしゃる (ossharu)
Humble	Kenjougo (謙譲語)	Lowers your own actions	“main aapki seva mein haazir hoon”	参る (mairu), 申す (mousu), いたす (itasu)

The simple rule: sonkeigo for other people’s actions, kenjougo for your own. If your boss said it, use おっしゃいました; if you said it, use 申しました.

3 forms of common verbs

Meaning	Plain	For others (sonkeigo)	For yourself (kenjougo)
go / come	行く / 来る	いらっしゃる (irassharu)	参る (mairu)
say	言う (iu)	おっしゃる (ossharu)	申す (mousu)
eat / drink	食べる / 飲む	召し上がる (meshiagaru)	いただく (itadaku)
do	する (suru)	なさる (nasaru)	いたす (itasu)
see	見る (miru)	ご覧になる (goran ni naru)	拝見する (haiken suru)
know	知っている	ご存じです (gozonji desu)	存じております (zonjite orimasu)

To start, memorise just these six verbs. They are the most used at work.

Introducing yourself in business (自己紹介)

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
初めまして。	Hajimemashite.	Nice to meet you.
〇〇と申します。	○○ to moushimasu.	My name is ○○. (humble)
△△会社の営業部です。	△△ kaisha no eigyoubu desu.	I’m in the sales department of △△ company.
どうぞよろしくお願いいたします。	Douzo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.	I look forward to working with you.

10 useful work words

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
会社	kaisha	company
部署	busho	department
営業	eigyou	sales
会議	kaigi	meeting
資料	shiryou	documents / materials
締め切り	shimekiri	deadline
出張	shucchou	business trip
上司	joushi	boss / superior
同僚	douryou	colleague
取引先	torihikisaki	client / business partner

Meishi (名刺): business-card etiquette

• Give and receive cards with both hands, and bow slightly.
• Read the card when you receive it, then place it on the table in front of you.
• Do not write on it, and do not put it in your back pocket.
• The usual custom: the visitor gives first, and the junior person gives to the senior person first.

5 useful email phrases

Japanese	Romaji	Meaning
お世話になっております。	Osewa ni natte orimasu.	Thank you for your continued support. (opening)
〜の件でご連絡いたしました。	~ no ken de gorenraku itashimashita.	I am contacting you regarding ~.
ご確認いただけますでしょうか。	Gokakunin itadakemasu deshouka.	Could you please check this?
承知いたしました。	Shouchi itashimashita.	Understood.
何卒よろしくお願いいたします。	Nanitozo yoroshiku onegai itashimasu.	Thank you in advance for your support. (closing)

報連相 (Hou-Ren-Sou): the Japanese office mantra

Three habits are highly valued in a Japanese workplace: 報告 (houkoku), reporting on your work; 連絡 (renraku), keeping people informed; and 相談 (soudan), consulting when you are stuck. Combining the first letters gives Hou-Ren-Sou. Updating your boss on time matters a great deal.

Frequently asked questions

Is keigo very hard to learn?

It takes time, but the start is easy. First make the です/ます polite form solid, then the six verbs above and the five email phrases. The rest comes gradually.

Do I need keigo in everyday conversation?

With bosses, customers and strangers, yes. With friends and family, no. For everyday office sentences see Japanese Office Phrases.

Is keigo easy for Hindi speakers?

Conceptually yes, because Hindi also has levels of respect. For the general picture, read Is Japanese Hard for Hindi Speakers?.

Related reading

• Japanese Office Phrases
• Japanese Honorifics Explained
• Japanese Greetings
• How to Learn Japanese from Scratch