What is polite language in Japanese?
Understand why polite language is important and how to use it.
Polite language is a way of speaking used to show respect and consideration towards others. It is widely used in everyday conversations and business settings, helping to build good relationships with others. For example, by using sentence endings like "desu" and "masu" or choosing more polite expressions, the speaker can express their politeness and respect for the other person. Polite language is different from honorific and humble language, as it can be used regardless of the subject. On the other hand, honorific language is used when the subject is someone else, and humble language is used when the subject is oneself. In this way, polite language holds a special position within honorific language and is a form of expression that can be applied more broadly.