Activities: What is 謙譲語 (kenjōgo) in Japanese?

Take the following sentences and make all necessary (and optional) changes to make them humble.

• A parent speaking to an older coworker at work:

  子供が生まれた時、上司からお祝いをもらいました。

  Kodomo ga umareta toki jōshi kara oiwai o moraimashita.

  I received a congratulatory gift from my superiors when my child was born.

  Your revision:

  Correct answer:
  子供が生まれた時、上司からお祝いをいただきました。[Kodomo ga umareta toki jōshi kara oiwai o moraimashita itadakimashita.](I received a congratulatory gift from my superiors when my child was born.)

• A company employee in a business meeting with a client:

  この新技術の特許をうちの会社が持っています。

  Kono shingijutsu no tokkyo o uchi no kaisha ga motte imasu.

  Our company holds the patent for this new technology.

  Your revision:

  Correct answer:
  この新技術の特許を弊社が持っております。[Kono shingijutsu no tokkyo o heisha ga motte orimasu.](Our company holds the patent for this new technology.)

• A student to a professor:

  来年、先生の研究室に入れてもらいたいのですが。

  Rainen, sensei no kenkūshitsu ni irete moraitai no desu ga.

  Professor, I would love to be accepted into your laboratory next year.

  Your revision:

  Correct answer:
  来年、先生の研究室に入れていただきたいのですが。[Rainen, sensei no kenkūshitsu ni irete moraitai itadakitai no desu ga.](Professor, I would love to be accepted into your laboratory next year.)

• An employee on the phone with Ms. Tanaka, a representative from another company:

  課長が戻りましたら、田中様のメッセージを伝えます。

  Kachō ga modorimashitara, Tanaka-sama no messeeji tsutaemasu.

  I will pass your (Tanaka’s) message along to the section manager when she gets back, Mr. Tanaka.

  Your revision:

  Correct answer:
  課長が戻りましたら、田中様のメッセージをお伝えいたします。[Kachō ga modorimashitara, Tanaka-sama no messeeji o otsutae itashimasu.](I will pass your message along to the section manager when she gets back, Ms. Tanaka.)

• A student to a teacher:

  先生、すみません、聞きたいことがあるんですが…。

  Sensei, sumimasen, kikitai koto ga arun desu ga….

  Excuse me, Professor, there’s something I want to ask you….

  Your revision:

  Hint:

  Change the verb 聞く[kiku] to humble form, and then add the 〜たい[tai] ending as to the resultant verb in the structure Vmasu + たい[tai].

  Correct answer:
  先生、すみません、お聞きしたいことがあるんですが…[Sensei, sumimasen, okiki shitai koto ga arun desu ga…](Excuse me, Professor, there’s something I want to ask you…)

The following humble sentences contain mistakes. Find and correct them.

• A young employee speaking to an older coworker:

  来週転職について部長にご話しします。

  Raishū tenshoku ni tsuite buchō ni gohanashi shimasu.

  Next week I will talk to the head of the department about making a career change.

  Your revision:

  Correct answer:
  来週転職について部長にお話しします。[Raishū tenshoku ni tsuite buchō ni ohanashi shimasu.](Next week I will talk to the head of the department about making a career change.)

• One company employee speaking to another:

  恵谷社長は今夜の発表会に参る予定だそうです。

  Eya-shachō wa kon’ya no happyōkai ni mairu yotei da sō desu.

  I heard that CEO Eya is planning to come to this evening’s presentation.

  Your revision:

  Correct answer:
  恵谷社長は今夜の発表会にいらっしゃる予定だそうです。[Eya-shachō wa kon’ya no happyōkai ni irassharu yotei da sō desu.](I heard that CEO Eya is planning to come to this evening’s presentation.)
  Note:
  Here, the issue is that 参る[mairu] is a humble verb, and so cannot be used to describe the actions of a respected figure while speaking to another person in the “in-group.”

• A student to a professor:

  小笠原教授に推薦状を書かせていただきました。

  Ogasawara-kyōju ni suisenjō o kakasete itadakimashita.

  I got Professor Ogasawara to write my letter of recommendation.

  Your revision:

  Correct answer:
  来年、先生の研究室に入れていただきたいのですが。[Rainen, sensei no kenkūshitsu ni irete moraitai itadakitai no desu ga.](Professor, I would love to be accepted into your laboratory next year.)
  Note:
  Because the doer of the action (“writing”) is not the speaker, we cannot use the Vcausative いただく (itadaku)[itadaku]construction here.

• An architect to a member of the city council:

  市議会が集まる前に市長に設計図をお見せました。

  Shigikai ga atsumaru mae ni shichō ni sekkeizu o omise mashita.

  I showed the mayor the blueprints before the city council assembled.

  Your revision:

  Correct answer:
  市議会が始まる前に市長に設計図をお見せしました。[Shigikai ga hajimaru mae ni shichō ni sekkeizu o omise shimashita.](I showed the mayor the blueprints before the city council meeting starts.)

• A young employee to an older employee in the same company:

  社長にお目にかからせていただきました。

  Shachō ni ome ni kakarasete itadakimashita.

  I met the CEO.

  Your revision:

  Correct answer:
  社長にお目にかかりました。[Shachō ni ome ni kakarimashita.](I met the CEO.)
  Note:
  Remember, it is considered inelegant to use “double” humble language, so here the humble verb お目にかかる[ome ni kakaru] can stand alone.

Determine whether the following sentences should be humble or courteous based on the given context and put them in the correct form.

• At the end of a business email to your counterpart in another company:

  返事を待っています。

  Henji o matte imasu.

  I await your reply.

  Humble or Courteous:

  Your revision:

  Correct answer:
  返事をお待ちしております。[Henji o omachi shite orimasu.](I await your reply.)

• On a TV weather broadcast:

  北海道の西海岸では雪が降り続いています。

  Hokkaidō no nishi kaigan de wa yuki ga furi tsudzuite imasu.

  Snow is falling continually on the west coast of Hokkaido.

  Humble or Courteous:

  Your revision:

  Correct answer:
  北海道の西海岸では雪が降り続いております。[Hokkaidō no nishi kaigan de wa yuki ga furi tsudzuite orimasu.](Snow is falling continually on the west coast of Hokkaido.)

• Loudspeaker announcement at a bus terminal:

  仙台行きのバスは午後2時半に出発します。

  Sendai yuki no basu wa gogo ni ji han ni shuppatsu shimasu.

  The bus going to Sendai will depart at 2:30 PM.

  Humble or Courteous:

  Your revision:

  Correct answer:
  仙台行きのバスは午後2時半に出発いたします。[Sendai yuki no basu wa gogo ni ji han ni shuppatsu itashimasu.](The bus going to Sendai will depart at 2:30 PM.)