Polite Form in Japanese: Choose Casual or Polite

Polite and casual speech: choosing your level

The same sentence moves up and down the levels: 行く (casual), 行きます (polite), いらっしゃいます (honorific, about someone else going).

Short answer: every Japanese sentence is said at a level of politeness, shown mainly by its last word. The polite level (です and ます) is for strangers, colleagues and anyone older; the casual level (plain forms) is for friends and family. Above both sits keigo, special honorific vocabulary for customers and formal settings. Start polite with everyone, and switch to casual only when the other person invites it.

Who gets which level

Three questions decide it: How close are we? Who is older or senior? Are we in the same group? Japanese calls the in-group uchi (inside) and everyone else soto (outside).

Speaking to	Level	Why
tomodachi	a friend	casual: close, same group
kazoku	family	casual: uchi
ten’in	shop staff	polite: strangers (staff answer in keigo)
sensei	a teacher	polite: senior
dōryō	a colleague	polite at first, casual if close
jōshi	your boss	polite: senior
okyakusama	a customer	keigo: highest respect

Switching to casual

Moving from polite to casual is a step closer. The senior person usually starts it; a junior who switches first can seem presumptuous. Friends often mark the moment with タメ口でいいよ, “casual is fine”.

同い年おないどしonaidoshisame ageですdesuareねnearen’t we

Onaidoshi desu ne. · “We’re the same age, aren’t we?”Finding something in common, still polite.

じゃあjāthenタメ口タメぐちtameguchicasual talkでdewithいいiifineよyo(telling you)

Jā, tameguchi de ii yo. · “Let’s talk casually, then.”The invitation itself is already casual: いいよ.

うんunyeahそうしようsō shiyōlet’s do that

Un, sō shiyō. · “Yeah, let’s.”うん is casual はい; しよう is casual しましょう.

What makes speech casual

Casual Japanese is not only です and ます removed. Speakers also shorten words and drop particles.

One exchange, two levels

Polite: with a colleague

週末しゅうまつshūmatsuweekendはwa(topic)何なにnaniwhatをo(object)しますかshimasu kado?

Shūmatsu wa nani o shimasu ka. · “What are you doing at the weekend?”Full particles and ます.

映画えいがeigafilmをo(object)見にみにmi nito see行きますいきますikimasugo

Eiga o mi ni ikimasu. · “I’m going to see a film.”Stem + に + 行く: go to do.

いいですねii desu nesounds nice

Ii desu ne. · “That sounds nice.”Polite reaction.

Casual: with a friend

週末しゅうまつshūmatsuweekend何なにnaniwhatするsurudoのno(question)

Shūmatsu nani suru no? · “What are you doing at the weekend?”は and を dropped; plain する + の.

映画えいがeigafilm見にみにmi nito see行くいくikugo

Eiga mi ni iku. · “Going to see a film.”Plain 行く; を dropped.

いいねii nenice

Ii ne. · “Nice.”です dropped: いいね.

Speech styles and gender

Some casual forms are traditionally linked to men or women, though younger speakers mix them freely. Polite speech is the same for everyone.

Form	Meaning	Traditionally
~ wa	soft emphasis	women (older style)
~ zo / ~ ze	strong emphasis	men
~ kashira	I wonder	women
~ kana	I wonder	everyone
~ yo ne	right?	everyone

Mixing levels on purpose

Speakers slip briefly into casual speech inside a polite conversation to show surprise, closeness or feeling, then return to polite forms.

実はじつはjitsu waactually宝くじたからくじtakarakujithe lotteryがga(subject)当たりましたあたりましたatarimashitawon

Jitsu wa, takarakuji ga atarimashita. · “Actually, I won the lottery.”Polite.

えっewhat本当ほんとうhontōreally

E, hontō? · “What, really?”A flash of casual surprise.

はいhaiyes一万円いちまんえんichiman en10,000 yenですdesuisけどkedobut

Hai, ichiman en desu kedo. · “Yes, ten thousand yen, mind you.”Back to polite.

それsorethatでもdemoeven soすごいですsugoi desuis greatねneisn’t it

Sore demo sugoi desu ne. · “That’s still great.”B returns to polite too.

Levels in writing

Written Japanese has its own choice: です・ます style for letters, emails and blogs that address the reader; plain style for essays, reports and news.

Check yourself: which level?

Decide the right level for each situation, then open the answer.

Situation 1Asking a shop assistant for the price
Show answer
Polite: これはいくらですか.
Situation 2Chatting with your close friend
Show answer
Casual: これいくら？
Situation 3Talking to your teacher
Show answer
Polite, with respectful verbs where you know them.
Situation 4A colleague your age who says タメ口でいいよ
Show answer
Casual, now that they have invited it.
Situation 5Writing a report
Show answer
Plain である style.

A first look at keigo

Keigo replaces ordinary verbs with special ones: respectful verbs raise the other person, humble verbs lower yourself. You will hear it from shop and station staff from day one; using it yourself comes later, on the keigo page.