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
まいる
まいる (mairu)
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 まいる.
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, まいる (まいる (mairu)) maps to "to go, to come (humble form of いく/くる)" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents 「行く」や「来る」の謙譲語で、自分の行動をへりくだって表現する際に使います。目上の人に対して話す時に用いる丁寧な表現です。Humble form of 'iku' and 'kuru', used to express one's own actions humbly. It's a polite expression used when speaking to superiors.. 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 "まいる"
明日、先生の研究室へ参ります。
I will go to the teacher's office tomorrow.
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."". "まいる" represents "to go, to come (humble form of いく/くる)".