sensushi
← back to お〜になる

お〜になる details

write + honorific — an esteemed person does

o kaki ni naru

honorific — an esteemed person does

meaning: write

部長ぶちょうはもうおかえりになりました。

buchou wa mou o kaeri ni narimashita.

The department head has already gone home. neutral

客様きゃくさま、こちらのせきをお使つかいになりますか。

okyakusama, kochira no seki o o tsukai ni narimasu ka.

Ma'am, will you be using this seat? formal

Examples

honorific verb frame — respectfully describing the action of someone above you (a customer, superior, or teacher)

部長ぶちょうはもうおかえりになりました。

buchou wa mou o kaeri ni narimashita.

The department head has already gone home. neutral

客様きゃくさま、こちらのせきをお使つかいになりますか。

okyakusama, kochira no seki o o tsukai ni narimasu ka.

Ma'am, will you be using this seat? formal

先生せんせいはその記事きじをもうおみになったそうです。

sensei wa sono kiji o mou o yomi ni natta sou desu.

I hear the professor has already read that article. neutral

Formation

Notes

Everyday verbs replace the frame with suppletives — 行く・来る・いる→ いらっしゃる, 食べる→召し上がる, 見る→ご覧になる (the conjugator renders these); ×お見になる. する-nouns take ご instead of お: ご利用になる.

Related patterns

Similar

  • The same honorific お+stem frame in two speech acts — お読みになる states the honored person's act, お読みください requests it; the request is the imperative face of the same respect.

Lookalikes

  • Same お+stem shell, opposite vector — お〜になる raises the SUBJECT's act (先生がお読みになった, their act exalted), お〜する lowers the speaker's own act done for that person (私がお持ちします); pointing になる at yourself self-honors, the classic keigo slip.