Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Go" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "go", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
いってらっしゃい
いってらっしゃい (itterasshai)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
いらっしゃる
いらっしゃる (irassharu)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "go" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between いってらっしゃい and いらっしゃる.
In Japanese, いってらっしゃい (いってらっしゃい (itterasshai)) is typically associated with "Go and come back safely; See you later (response to 'ittekimasu')" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Said by those remaining behind to someone who is leaving.
On the other hand, いらっしゃる (いらっしゃる (irassharu)) maps to "to go/come/be (honorific form of 行く/来る/いる)" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents An honorific verb used for superiors. It replaces 行く. A literal translation of "go" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "いってらっしゃい"
父が「いってきます」と言うと、母は「いってらっしゃい」と答えます。
When my father says "Ittekimasu," my mother replies "Itterasshai."
Bilingual Context for "いらっしゃる"
先生はもう教室にいらっしゃいましたか。
Has the teacher already come to the classroom?
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "父が「いってきます」と言うと、母は「 ＿＿＿ 」と答えます。" (Meaning: "When my father says "Ittekimasu," my mother replies "Itterasshai."")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "いってらっしゃい" fits here because it means "Go and come back safely; See you later (response to 'ittekimasu')" in the context of: "When my father says "Ittekimasu," my mother replies "Itterasshai."". "いらっしゃる" represents "to go/come/be (honorific form of 行く/来る/いる)".