JLPT Keigo and Honorific Expressions 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What does いただく (itadaku) mean when used as a keigo verb?
- To give to someone of higher status
- To humbly receive from someone of higher status (Correct answer)
- To humbly be (exist)
- To humbly go somewhere
Correct answer: To humbly receive from someone of higher status
いただく is the humble (kenjōgo) form of もらう (to receive), used when the speaker humbly accepts something from a superior.
Question 2: Which is the correct respectful expression meaning 'you know' or 'are aware of'?
- しっています (shitte imasu)
- ご存知です (go-zonji desu) (Correct answer)
- ぞんじます (zonjimasu)
- わかります (wakarimasu)
Correct answer: ご存知です (go-zonji desu)
ご存知です (go-zonji desu) is the sonkeigo expression for knowing or being aware, used to respectfully say that someone else knows something.
Question 3: 存じます (zonjimasu) is the humble form of which verb?
- 思う (to think) / 知る (to know) (Correct answer)
- 見る (to see)
- 言う (to say)
- 行く (to go)
Correct answer: 思う (to think) / 知る (to know)
存じます is the kenjōgo form used in place of both 思う (to think) and 知る (to know) when the speaker humbly expresses their own thoughts or knowledge.
Question 4: When a customer or superior 'comes' to your office, which verb should you use to describe their action?
- きます (kimasu)
- こられます (koraremasu)
- いらっしゃいます (irasshaimasu) (Correct answer)
- まいります (mairimasu)
Correct answer: いらっしゃいます (irasshaimasu)
いらっしゃいます is the respectful (sonkeigo) form for the superior's action of coming, while まいります would be used only for the speaker's own humble action.
Question 5: 拝見する (haiken suru) is the humble form of which verb?
- 聞く (to listen)
- 見る (to see/look at) (Correct answer)
- 読む (to read)
- 話す (to speak)
Correct answer: 見る (to see/look at)
拝見する is the kenjōgo form of 見る, used when the speaker humbly looks at or reads something belonging to or sent by a superior.
Question 6: Which sentence correctly makes a polite request for a superior to do something?
- してください (shite kudasai)
- なさってください (nasatte kudasai) (Correct answer)
- していただきます (shite itadakimasu)
- されてください (sarete kudasai)
Correct answer: なさってください (nasatte kudasai)
なさってください uses なさる, the respectful form of する, making the request appropriately elevating when asking a superior to act.
Question 7: The grammar pattern お/ご〜になる is used to form which type of keigo?
- Humble expressions (kenjōgo)
- Respectful expressions (sonkeigo) (Correct answer)
- Polite expressions (teineigo)
- Casual-polite expressions
Correct answer: Respectful expressions (sonkeigo)
The お/ご〜になる pattern creates sonkeigo (respectful language), elevating the actions of superiors or customers.
JLPT Keigo and Honorific Expressions 2
What does いただく (itadaku) mean when used as a keigo verb?