A change in audience can change how you speak, even with the same person.
The idea
丁寧語 uses forms such as です and ます. 尊敬語 raises the person whose action is described: ご覧になる refers to their seeing. 謙譲語 presents one’s own action modestly toward another: ご連絡する. Familiar friends may use plain forms such as 見た.
Examples
- 先生、この資料をご覧になりましたか。Professor, have you looked at this document?
- 田中さん、この資料を見ましたか。Tanaka, have you seen this document?
- ねえ、この資料、見た？Hey, did you see this document?
- 部長はもうお帰りになりました。The department head has already left.
- 私が後でご連絡します。I will contact you later.
- 会議では丁寧に話し、休憩時間は友達とくだけて話します。At meetings I speak politely, and during breaks I speak casually with friends.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Japanese device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
Status alone does not determine every choice: familiarity, setting and the people listening matter too. Do not use ご覧になる for your own action.
Try it yourself
先生、この資料を（ご覧になりましたか／見た）
Show answer or example answer
ご覧になりましたか
ご覧になりましたか respectfully describes the teacher’s action.
親しい友達に：この資料、（見た／ご覧になりましたか）
Show answer or example answer
見た
見た is a natural plain question to a close friend in a casual setting.
自分が後で相手に：ご連絡（します／なります）
Show answer or example answer
します
ご連絡します describes your own contacting the other person; なります would not form this humble expression.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
先生、この資料を（ご覧になりましたか／見た）
ご覧になりましたか
親しい友達に：この資料、（見た／ご覧になりましたか）
自分が後で相手に：ご連絡（します／なります）
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
Sign up for free to save your practice results in your account.
Sign up to saveI already have an accountUse it today
Imagine meeting a teacher and then a close friend; ask each whether they saw the document.