Keigo 5-Level Transform
Keigo Map: "見る" vs "聞く"
Master the social hierarchies of Japanese speech by converting levels.
" 見る " (to watch)
謙譲語 (Humble)
拝見する
尊敬語 (Respectful)
ご覧になる
丁寧語 (Polite)
見ます
普通体 (Plain)
見る
スラング (Slang)
見る
" 聞く " (to ask / listen)
謙譲語 (Humble)
伺う
尊敬語 (Respectful)
お聞きになる
丁寧語 (Polite)
聞きます
普通体 (Plain)
聞く
スラング (Slang)
聞く
Keigo System & Pragmatic Usage
Japanese has an intricate honorific system (Keigo) that transforms words across 5 levels of politeness depending on social relationships.
Review the complete catalog comparing "見る" and "聞く" below.
Humble (Kenjougo) lowers yourself, Respectful (Sonkeigo) raises the listener, Polite (Teineigo) is standard formal, Plain is standard casual, and Slang is extreme casual for friends.
Pragmatic Keigo Test
Which Keigo form perfectly fits this specific social scenario?
Fill in the blank with the correct level form for a Humble (Kenjougo) context: "資料を拝見いたしました。" (Bilingual Meaning: "I humble-watched/read the document.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Correct! "拝見する" is the Humble form used to lower yourself before superordinate listeners.