Keigo isn’t just a fancy extra for Japanese-it’s the social wiring that keeps conversations smooth and respectful. If you’ve ever frozen up wondering whether to say いらっしゃいます or just 来ます, you’re in good company. This list hands you around 56 key honorific words and expressions that pop up in real life, from formal business settings to polite everyday chats.
Each entry gives you a straightforward meaning and a natural example sentence, so you can see exactly how the expression behaves in context. We’ve skipped the dusty textbook fillers and focused on the nitty‑gritty keigo you’ll actually use-whether you’re greeting a client, thanking your senpai, or just trying not to sound like a walking dictionary.
Ready to level up your polite Japanese? Scroll to the bottom of the article for the free printable Japanese keigo vocabulary list PDF and the free downloadable printable Japanese keigo flashcards.
Want more than one list? Browse our Japanese section for more Yak Yacker study pages, printable lists, and quiz-friendly review material.
Quick Quiz
Think you’ve got your sonkeigo and kenjougo sorted? Jump into the quick quiz below-it’s a low‑stress way to check which honorific terms have already stuck and which ones could use another peek.
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Browse the Full List
| Expression | Reading | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ご + Noun + ください | Please do something with a noun | |
| ございます | gozaimasu | gozaimasu |
| ご査収ください | go-sashū kudasai | go-sashū kudasai |
| ご案内します | go-annai shimasu | go-annai shimasu |
| ご注文 | go-chūmon | go-chūmon |
| ご確認ください | go-kakunin kudasai | go-kakunin kudasai |
| ご返信お待ちしております | go-henjin o-machi shite orimasu | go-henjin o-machi shite orimasu |
| ご連絡ありがとうございます | go-renraku arigatō gozaimasu | go-renraku arigatō gozaimasu |
| する | なさる | To do |
| でしょうか | deshō ka | deshō ka |
| です | desu | desu |
| ます | masu | masu |
| もらう | いただく | To receive; to eat/drink humbly |
| よろしいですか | yoroshii desu ka | yoroshii desu ka |
| 会う | お目にかかる | To meet |
| 伺います | ukagaimasu | ukagaimasu |
| 参ります | mairimasu | mairimasu |
| 失礼します | shitsurei shimasu | shitsurei shimasu |
| 存じます | zonjimasu | zonjimasu |
| 少々お待ちください | shōshō omachi kudasai | shōshō omachi kudasai |
| 恐れ入ります | osoreirimasu | osoreirimasu |
| 恐れ入りますが | osoreirimasu ga | osoreirimasu ga |
| 承知しました | shōchi shimashita | shōchi shimashita |
| 拝見します | haiken shimasu | haiken shimasu |
| 申し上げます | mōshiagemasu | mōshiagemasu |
Free Japanese Keigo Vocabulary List and Flashcards to Download
Use the purple vocab-list button to grab the Japanese keigo vocabulary list, and the teal flashcards button to download the Japanese keigo flashcards. Everything is 100% free with no signup required.
