Keigo for JLPT N3: What You Must Master

JLPT N3 is the level where keigo starts to appear significantly on the exam. On N4 and N5, you may only need the ます form (丁寧語ていねいご). On N3, you are expected to recognize and use basic 尊敬語そんけいご and 謙譲語けんじょうご forms.

This article maps the keigo you need for JLPT N3 according to 敬語けいごの指針ししん (the five official categories), with sample questions and answer strategies.

Keigo Level Expected on JLPT N3

On JLPT N3, keigo focus is still on recognition and understanding, not active production. That means you need to be able to:

1. Recognize keigo forms when you hear or read them
2. Choose the correct keigo form from the options given
3. Understand who does what in a keigo sentence

Here is a per-category keigo map relevant to N3:

Category 1: 丁寧語ていねいご (Teineigo) on N3

丁寧語ていねいご should already be fully mastered by N3. Still, several patterns are often tested because they are more formal than plain ます/です:

Patterns Tested

Sample N3-style question:

この商品しょうひんは税込ぜいこみで3,000円えんで______。

a) あります   b) ございます   c) いらっしゃいます   d) おります

Category 2: 尊敬語そんけいご (Sonkeigo) on N3

On JLPT N3, you need the most common special sonkeigo verbs and the basic お〜になる pattern.

Special Sonkeigo Verbs for N3

The お〜になる Pattern

This pattern is used for ordinary verbs that have no special sonkeigo form. It is the most productive pattern and is often tested:

Formula: お + 動詞どうします stem + になる

Sample N3-style question:

先生せんせいは毎朝まいあさ新聞しんぶんを______。

a) 読よまれます   b) お読よみになります   c) 読よんでいただきます   d) 読よみたいです

Category 3: 謙譲語けんじょうごI (Kenjougo I) on N3

On N3, you need the most common special kenjougo verbs. Remember: 謙譲語けんじょうごI lowers yourself to raise the person who is the action target (向むかう先さき).

Special Kenjougo I Verbs for N3

The お〜する Pattern

Just as sonkeigo has お〜になる, kenjougo I has the お〜する pattern:

Formula: お + 動詞どうします stem + する

Sample N3-style question:

先生せんせいに私わたしの作文さくぶんを______。

a) ご覧らんになりました   b) 拝見はいけんしました   c) お見みせしました   d) 見みられました

Categories 4 & 5: 謙譲語けんじょうごII and 美化語びかご on N3

On N3, these two categories appear in an introductory way. You need to know they exist, but the exam does not dig deep into KI vs KII differences.

謙譲語けんじょうごII (丁重語ていちょうご) You Should Know

💡 N3 tip: On N3, the difference between 謙譲語けんじょうごI and II is not heavily tested yet. What matters is whether a verb is sonkeigo or kenjougo. The I vs II split matters more on N2 and N1.

美化語びかご You Should Know

These words often appear in 聴解ちょうかい (listening) items because speakers in formal dialogs tend to use 美化語びかご.

Common Traps on JLPT N3 Keigo Questions

1. Sonkeigo vs Kenjougo Swapped

The most common trap: options that mix sonkeigo (to raise others) with kenjougo (to lower yourself). How to avoid it:

• Who is the sentence subject? If the subject is a respected person → use sonkeigo
• Who is the sentence subject? If the subject is “I” acting toward a respected person → use kenjougo I

2. いらっしゃる = 3 Meanings

いらっしゃる can mean go, come, OR exist. Questions often test whether you can pick the meaning from context:

• 先生せんせいはいらっしゃいますか？ → “Is the teacher here?” (here = いる)
• 先生せんせいは明日あしたいらっしゃいますか？ → “Is the teacher coming tomorrow?” (here = 来くる)
• 先生せんせいは東京とうきょうにいらっしゃいます → “The teacher goes to Tokyo” (here = 行いく)

3. いただく vs くださる

Both words relate to “give/receive,” but the perspective differs:

• いただく (謙譲語けんじょうごI): Subject = I who receive. “I receive from a respected person.”
• くださる (尊敬語そんけいご): Subject = the respected person who gives. “The respected person gives to me.”

Compare:

• 先生せんせいが本ほんをくださった → The teacher gave me a book. [Sonkeigo — raises the teacher]
• 先生せんせいに本ほんをいただいた → I received a book from the teacher. [Kenjougo I — self-lowering]

JLPT N3 Practice Questions (Keigo)

Choose the best answer:

Question 1: お客きゃくさまは3時じに______。

a) 来きました   b) いらっしゃいました   c) 参まいりました   d) お越こしいたしました

Question 2: 私わたしは明日あした、田中たなか先生せんせいのお宅たくに______。

a) いらっしゃいます   b) お見みえになります   c) 伺うかがいます   d) おいでになります

Question 3: ごゆっくり______。

a) 食たべてください   b) いただいてください   c) 召めし上あがってください   d) 参まいってください

Question 4: 部長ぶちょうはこの映画えいがを______か。

a) ご覧らんになりました   b) 拝見はいけんしました   c) 見みせました   d) お見みえしました

Question 5: 先生せんせい、私わたしの論文ろんぶんを______いただけませんか。

a) ご覧らんに   b) 拝見はいけん   c) お読よみに   d) ご覧らん

Keigo in Real Conversation (N3 Level)

To see how keigo appears in JLPT N3 context, look at a sample dialog that might show up in the 聴解ちょうかい (listening) section:

Dialog 1: At School

Student: 先生せんせい、この作文さくぶんを拝見はいけん... あ、すみません、ご覧らんになっていただけますか。 Sensei, kono sakubun o haiken... a, sumimasen, goran ni natte itadakemasu ka. Teacher, this essay please… ah, sorry, would you look at it?

Teacher: ええ、いいですよ。あとで読よみますから、ここに置おいてください。 Ee, ii desu yo. Ato de yomimasu kara, koko ni oite kudasai. Yes, of course. I will read it later; please put it here.

Analysis:

• The student almost used 拝見はいけん (kenjougo I = “I look”) — wrong because the one looking is the teacher!
• The student corrects with ご覧らんになる (sonkeigo) + いただく (kenjougo I) → proper 敬語連結けいごれんけつ
• The teacher responds with ordinary 丁寧語ていねいご — teachers need not use honorific keigo toward students

Dialog 2: At the Office

Receptionist: いらっしゃいませ。どちらさまでしょうか。 Irasshaimase. Dochira-sama deshou ka. Welcome. Who are you?

Visitor: 山田やまだと申もうします。田中たなか部長ぶちょうにお目めにかかりたいのですが。 Yamada to moushimasu. Tanaka-buchō ni ome ni kakaritai no desu ga. I am Yamada. I would like to meet Director Tanaka.

Receptionist: 田中たなかは只今ただいま席せきを外はずしておりますが...。 Tanaka wa tadaima seki o hazushite orimasu ga... Tanaka is away from his desk right now...

Analysis:

• The visitor uses 申もうす (kenjougo II) for self-introduction — polite toward the receptionist
• The visitor uses お目めにかかる (kenjougo I) for “meet” — self-lowering toward 部長ぶちょう
• The receptionist names the boss without さん/さま (business rule: insiders are not given honorifics toward outsiders)
• The receptionist uses おる (kenjougo II) — lowering an in-company person toward the guest

💡 Listening tip for 聴解ちょうかい: JLPT N3 dialogs often take place in offices, schools, or shops. Notice who speaks to whom — that is the key to why a given keigo form is used.

Strategies for Answering JLPT N3 Keigo Questions

Here are five main strategies for answering JLPT N3 keigo questions correctly:

1. Identify the Subject First

Who performs the action? This is the most important step. If a respected person → sonkeigo. If “I” act toward a respected person → kenjougo I. If “I” am simply speaking politely → kenjougo II or teineigo.

2. Eliminate Clearly Wrong Options

If the subject is a respected person, eliminate all kenjougo options. Conversely, if the subject is “I,” eliminate all sonkeigo options. With that filter, you can usually narrow it to two options.

3. Watch Sentence Context

Is this a shop, office, school, or restaurant? Context sets formality. For example, in a shop → staff almost always use sonkeigo and high teineigo toward customers. At school → students use kenjougo toward teachers.

4. Memorize Special Verbs

On N3, keigo questions lean heavily on memorized special sonkeigo/kenjougo verbs. Make sure you know at least 10 pairs from the tables above. Make flashcards with the plain verb on one side and the keigo form on the other.

5. Do Not Get Lost in Long Forms

Sometimes options use very long keigo (for example お読よみになっていらっしゃる). Remember from the article on 敬語連結けいごれんけつ that this is a valid keigo chain — not a mistake.

Checklist Before Choosing an Answer

Before picking a keigo answer, run this checklist in your head:

• ✅ Who is the subject? (identify)
• ✅ Is this sonkeigo or kenjougo? (classify)
• ✅ Is there a 向むかう先さき? (if kenjougo, is it I or II?)
• ✅ Does the context fit? (formality level)

New Vocabulary

Conclusion

Keigo on JLPT N3 focuses on basic recognition and understanding. This is the first level where keigo is a major exam piece, and solid mastery here becomes a strong base for N2 and N1 later.

Keys to success on N3:

1. Memorize special sonkeigo and kenjougo verbs — this is the most often tested foundation. Master at least 7 sonkeigo pairs and 7 kenjougo I pairs from the tables above.
2. Master お〜になる (sonkeigo) and お〜する (kenjougo I) — productive patterns that apply to many verbs. With both, you can handle verbs that have no special form.
3. Always identify the sentence subject — that decides sonkeigo vs kenjougo. Subjects are often hidden in Japanese, so watch particles は and が carefully.
4. Know basic 謙譲語けんじょうごII verbs — 参まいる, おる, いたす, 申もうす. Even if KI vs KII is not heavily tested on N3, knowing these forms helps you understand the business dialogs that often appear.
5. Practice with situational dialogs — 聴解ちょうかい items often use office, school, or shop dialogs. Get used to listening to keigo dialogs. Train yourself to spot the forms in 自然しぜんな会話かいわ (natural conversation).

Deeper keigo — including the KI vs KII split in depth, させていただく, business-letter keigo, and ultra-formal expressions — is covered in Keigo JLPT N2.

Also Read:

• 二重敬語 vs 敬語連結: Which Is Correct, Which Is Wrong?
• Sonkeigo (尊敬語): Respect Language for Raising Others
• Kenjougo I (謙譲語I): Lowering Yourself to Raise the Other Party
• Complete Keigo Conversion Table: 30+ Verbs in 5 Categories
• Complete Keigo Guide