Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Go" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "go", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
いらっしゃる
いらっしゃる (irassharu)
N4 / 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 いらっしゃる and まいる.
In Japanese, いらっしゃる (いらっしゃる (irassharu)) is typically associated with "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.
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?
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: "先生はもう教室にいらっしゃいましたか。" (Meaning: "Has the teacher already come to the classroom?")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "いらっしゃる" fits here because it means "to go/come/be (honorific form of 行く/来る/いる)" in the context of: "Has the teacher already come to the classroom?". "まいる" represents "to go, to come (humble form of いく/くる)".