Respectful Japanese: The お〜になる Form

Meaning & Usage

In Japanese, showing respect often means changing the very shape of the verb. The お〜になる pattern is a fundamental part of 尊敬語そんけいご (Sonkeigo), or respectful language. Its primary purpose is to elevate the person performing the action. You will typically use this form when speaking about a 先生せんせい (teacher), 社長しゃちょう (company president), or a 客きゃく (customer).

While English uses titles like "Sir" or formal phrasing, Japanese encodes social hierarchy directly into its grammar. By using お〜になる, you create a polite distance between yourself and the subject. Never use this form for your own actions or for members of your "in-group" (like family) when speaking to outsiders. Doing so would make you sound like you are trying to praise yourself.

This pattern is standard in professional offices, schools, and service industries. It is more polite than the passive honorific (〜れる) but less formal than "special" honorific verbs like 召めし上あがる. Think of it as a reliable, all-purpose way to make regular verbs respectful.

Structure & Formation

To create this form, you need the verb's 連用形れんようけい (masu-stem). Use these five steps:

• Start with the dictionary form (e.g., 書かく).

• Change it to the ます form (書かきます).

• Drop the ます to find the stem (書かき).

• Add the prefix お to the front.

• Add になる to the end.

Note: This pattern works for most Group 1 and Group 2 verbs. However, it is not used for Group 3 irregular verbs (来くる and する). Also, verbs with a single-syllable stem, such as 見みる (to see) or 寝ねる (to sleep), usually require special honorific verbs instead.

Example Sentences

Talking About a Superior

In a Business or Service Setting

Common Mistakes

1. Using it for your own actions

❌ 私わたしはお読よみになります。

✅ 私わたしは読よみます。

Honorifics (Sonkeigo) are for other people. Using them for yourself makes you sound unintentionally arrogant, as if you are treating yourself like a king.

2. Mixing with Group 3 Verbs

❌ 先生せんせいはテニスをおしになります。

✅ 先生せんせいはテニスをなさいます。

The verb する (to do) has its own special honorific: なさるなさる. You cannot use the お〜になる formula with it.

3. "Double Honorifics" (Nijuu Keigo)

❌ お召めし上あがりにおなりになりますか。

✅ 召めし上あがりますか。

If a verb already has a unique honorific form (like meshiagaru for "eat"), do not add お〜になる to it. This is considered redundant and grammatically messy in professional speech.

Cultural Notes

Japanese social hierarchy is often described using the "Uchi-Soto" (Inside-Outside) concept. When you speak to a customer (Outside) about your boss (Inside), you actually use humble language for your boss rather than respectful language. This is because your boss is part of your "team." Mastering お〜になる is step one; knowing when to use it based on who is in your circle is step two.

You will frequently hear this form used in public announcements. For example, train conductors often say 電車でんしゃをお降おりの際さいは... (When getting off the train...). Using this form treats every passenger as a valued guest.

Related Grammar Points

• Humble Action: The O... Suru Form (Grammar N4)
• Hearsay (I heard that): Souda (Grammar N4)
• Sequence and Starting Points: Using てから (te kara) (Grammar N4)
• Resultant State (Intentional) - Te-aru (Grammar N4)
• Mastering the Japanese Passive Voice (Ukemi-kei) (Grammar N4)
• Mastering Japanese Obligations: なければならない (Grammar N4)

JLPT Tips

On the JLPT N4, pay close attention to the subject of the sentence. If the subject is "I" or "we," any choice containing お〜になる is automatically wrong. The test often tries to trick you by pairing a respectful verb with a humble subject.

Also, remember the お vs ご rule. Native Japanese verbs (Kun-yomi) use お. Verbs based on Chinese loanwords (On-yomi) usually use ご. Since お〜になる is used with native verb stems, you will almost always see it paired with お. For example, it is 読よむ (Native) → お読よみになる, but 利用りよう (Chinese-origin) → ご利用りようになる.