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Japanese Keigo (Formal Speech)

Twelfth graders learn keigo (敬語) — the honorific, formal register of Japanese used to show respect to bosses, customers, teachers, and elders. Knowing when and how to be formal is one of the most important skills for real-world Japanese.

Grade 12Keigo (Formal Speech)55 minutes1 class periodACTFL / World LanguagesExplicit teaching4 StandardsACTFL
Start the Lesson
Lesson at a Glance

Everything you need before the bell rings

Learning Objectives

Students will be able to…

  • ✓Explain keigo.
  • ✓Know when to use it.
  • ✓Raise politeness levels.
  • ✓Speak respectfully.
Essential Question

Japanese has a whole formal “mode” for showing respect — keigo. What is it, and when do you use it?

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Lesson Phases
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Vocabulary Terms
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Standards Aligned
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Interactive Task
Explore · Interactive

Keigo (Formal Speech) Check

Project each item and have students answer about Japanese keigo (formal speech).

🙇 Understand keigo (formal speech)Try it
Answer each question about Japanese keigo (formal speech).
The Lesson · Language Flow (Warm-Up · Present · Practice · Speak · Reflect)

55 minutes, five moves

Tap any phase to open the teacher moves and student actions.

1

Warm-Up — A Mode of Respect

6 min

Japanese has a formal “mode” for respect — keigo. What is it?

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Compare arigatō vs arigatō gozaimasu.
  • Ask which is more polite.
  • Set the goal.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Listen.
  • Guess.
  • Get ready.
2

Present — Keigo

13 min

Students learn.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Send students to the Keigo Check.
  • Note when to use it.
  • Note raising politeness.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Answer.
  • Note it.
  • Note it.
3

Practice — Practice

15 min

Students practice.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Make a phrase more polite.
  • Say when to use keigo.
  • Add gozaimasu.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Make it.
  • Say it.
  • Add it.
4

Speak — Speak

15 min

Students speak.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Greet a “boss” with keigo.
  • Thank a “customer.”
  • Switch to casual with a “friend.”

🎒 Student Actions

  • Greet.
  • Thank.
  • Switch.
5

Reflect — Reflect

6 min

Students close.

👩‍🏫 Teacher Moves

  • Say what keigo is.
  • Say when to use it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.

🎒 Student Actions

  • Say it.
  • Say it.
  • Complete the exit ticket.
Standards Alignment

Built to the standards you report on

Aligned to the ACTFL World-Readiness Standards for Learning Languages (Advanced).

ACTFL
Cultures 2.1

Explore respect & hierarchy.

ACTFL
Comparisons 4.1

Compare formality registers.

ACTFL
Communication 1.1

Interpersonal: adjust register.

ACTFL
Communities 5.1

Interact appropriately.

Differentiation

One lesson, every learner

Multilingual Learners

ELL / EMERGING READERS
  • Formal/casual pair cards.
  • Model both registers.
  • Sentence frame: “polite: ___gozaimasu.”

Support & Access

IEP / 504
  • Start with arigatō gozaimasu.
  • Use one example.
  • Repeat aloud.

Stretch & Extend

GIFTED / EARLY FINISHERS
  • Introduce sonkeigo & kenjōgo.
  • Role-play a job interview.
  • Convert a dialogue.
Materials

What to gather

  • 📽️Screen / board
  • 🙇Register cards
  • 💻Keigo (Formal Speech) Check
  • 👔Role-play scenarios
  • ✏️Notebooks
  • 🎫Exit-ticket slips
Vocabulary

Key terms — hover for a quick definition

敬語 (keigo)honorific speechそんけいご (sonkeigo)respectful languageけんじょうご (kenjōgo)humble languageていねいご (teineigo)polite languageめうえ (meue)higher statusけいい (keii)respectあいて (aite)the other personばめん (bamen)situation
Evaluate

Exit Ticket

Preview the three formative checks. Tap “Sample answer” to see what mastery looks like — hide them before you print for students.

QUESTION 1
What is keigo?
Honorific, formal Japanese used to show respect.
QUESTION 2
When do you use keigo?
With bosses, customers, teachers — people of higher status.
QUESTION 3
Why is “arigatō gozaimasu” more polite than “arigatō”?
Adding “gozaimasu” makes it formal and respectful.

Reflect: keigo.

Have students make one phrase more polite with keigo (like arigatō → arigatō gozaimasu). A printable Japanese keigo sheet is in the World Languages library.

Study · Flashcards

Study the key terms

Tap a card to flip it, then rate whether you knew it. Built from this lesson’s vocabulary.

🃏 Japanese Keigo (Formal Speech)Flip
Card 1
Term
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Meaning
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Practice · Quiz

Check your understanding

A quick self-check with instant feedback, drawn from this lesson’s key terms.

📝 Japanese Keigo (Formal Speech)Quiz
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Question 1
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Practice · Worksheet

Printable worksheet

A print-and-go review sheet with a built-in answer key. Tap “Show answer key” to reveal answers, or print the clean version for students.

🖨️ Japanese Keigo (Formal Speech)Print
Name: ________________________
Date: ____________

Part A · Write the word that matches each meaning

Word bank: あいて (aite), けいい (keii), けんじょうご (kenjōgo), そんけいご (sonkeigo), ていねいご (teineigo), ばめん (bamen), めうえ (meue), 敬語 (keigo)
  1. polite language
  2. honorific speech
  3. the other person
  4. higher status
  5. respectful language
  6. humble language
  7. respect
  8. situation

Part B · Show what you learned

  1. What is keigo?
  2. When do you use keigo?
  3. Why is “arigatō gozaimasu” more polite than “arigatō”?
Answer key — Part A: 1) ていねいご (teineigo) · 2) 敬語 (keigo) · 3) あいて (aite) · 4) めうえ (meue) · 5) そんけいご (sonkeigo) · 6) けんじょうご (kenjōgo) · 7) けいい (keii) · 8) ばめん (bamen)
Part B: 1) Honorific, formal Japanese used to show respect. 2) With bosses, customers, teachers — people of higher status. 3) Adding “gozaimasu” makes it formal and respectful.