分からないで

I’ve been wondering if there isn’t a fundamental problem with the way keigo is taught. Normally, you don’t start learning keigo until the N3 level. But in my opinion, that’s far too late.

So I wrote a series of articles called ‘5 Minutes of Keigo’. The goal is to explain the basics of Keigo at N5 level in small, bite-sized chunks. 

This series is a translation from my German "5 Minuten Keigo" series using machine translation.

Keigo at the N5 level is all about handling very simple situations. The more intricate social dynamics—like when you may switch between Keigo and non‑Keigo with the same person—don’t come into play yet. And that’s exactly as it should be: at this stage, the focus is polite, straightforward communication without any hierarchy complications. I have also deliberately simplified things here to make it as accessible as possible for beginners.

In this series, I use the modern, 5-level Keigo system. Most textbooks are still based on the old, 3-level system. Anyone wishing to study Keigo outside of this series will find that the terminology is slightly different.

What Keigo means at N5:

• Simplicity over complexity 👉 keep things clean and manageable
• Politeness without status play 👉 no social maneuvering
• A starter toolkit 👉 for clear, respectful interaction

🔧 What’s possible at N5?

• Forming basic statements
• Using especially polite phrasing

Once you’re comfortable with this toolkit, adapting it to new situations later becomes much easier.

🧱 Foundation: understanding basic politeness

Most textbooks begin with the desu–masu style, used when both speakers are polite and interacting on equal footing.

The desu-masu style is actually a form of Keigo. So you’re probably already using Keigo without even realising it.

What’s more, there are plenty of Keigo words at N5 level that you’ll pick up naturally, particularly when it comes to family. For example, you use はは when talking to others about your mother, but おかあさん when speaking to her directly. Why? Because おかあさん is a Keigo word.

🎌 What makes Keigo distinct?

Keigo isn’t just “extra polite.” It’s a structured system that lets the speaker:

• Show respect — toward the person they’re talking about
• Show humility — when referring to themselves

English has no grammatical markers that separate these levels, it does not even has a formal adress like the German "Sie". That's why Keigo can feel unfamiliar at first — but it’s not as daunting as it seems.

Showing respect means placing the person you’re talking about on a higher level. You must not elevate yourself in the process.

When speaking about yourself, you take the opposite stance: you express modesty or humility toward the person you’re addressing or the person you’re referring to.

Whether you raise someone else or lower yourself, Keigo always revolves around a difference in rank. The speaker is positioned “below.” The higher‑ranking person may be the conversation partner, the person being discussed — or both.

🧭 The starting point for this series

In this mini‑series, we focus on simples scenarios, such as a school setting. The teacher (sensei) is above the student in the hierarchy — so respectful language is appropriate.

Show answer→ B) Humility

I hope you enjoy this series.

いっしょにがんばりましょう！

Follow up with: Day 1 - Sonkeigo Part I