いらっしゃる・
These special verbs respectfully describe the actions of a customer, teacher, manager, guest, or another person whom the speaker wishes to raise. Choose the verb by meaning, and keep the respected person as the subject.
Choose by meaning
This is a set of replacement verbs, not one ending that can be attached mechanically. First identify the ordinary action, then select the matching respectful verb and change that verb for tense, negation, and politeness.
Core forms
Swipe sideways to compare every column.
| Ordinary meaning | Respectful form | Polite nonpast | Plain past | Plain negative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 行く・来る・いる | いらっしゃる | いらっしゃいます | いらっしゃった | いらっしゃらない |
| 言う | おっしゃる | おっしゃいます | おっしゃった | おっしゃらない |
| する | なさる | なさいます | なさった | なさらない |
| 食べる・飲む | 召し上がる | 召し上がります | 召し上がった | 召し上がらない |
| 見る | ご覧になる | ご覧になります | ご覧になった | ご覧にならない |
Polite past and negative forms follow from the polite forms: for example, おっしゃいました and おっしゃいません.
Respecting the person who acts
The subject is the person being treated respectfully. The English translation may simply use an ordinary verb because English does not have the same verb system.
Special verb or general respectful pattern?
Use the established special verb when one normally replaces the ordinary verb: for example, 見る becomes ご覧になる. For an eligible action without a preferred special verb, use the general respectful pattern instead.
先生はこの資料をお読みになります。
The teacher will read this material.
AnalyzeThis uses the general respectful pattern because there is no preferred special replacement for 読む.
More examples
お客様は何を召し上がりますか。
What will you have?
Analyze先生は辛い物を召し上がりません。
The teacher does not eat spicy food.
Analyze社長は週末、何をなさいますか。
What does the company president do on weekends?
Analyze先生は決してそんなことをおっしゃいません。
The teacher would never say such a thing.
Analyze会長は本日の式典にはいらっしゃいません。
The chairperson will not attend today's ceremony.
Analyze先生は昨日、その展示をご覧になりました。
The teacher viewed that exhibition yesterday.
Analyze