Polite or casual: choosing how to speak
Who gets です/ます, who gets casual speech, and who decides when to switch.要点The idea
Japanese makes you choose a speech level in every sentence, and polite (です/ます) is the default with anyone you're not close to.| Who you're talking to | Speech level |
|---|---|
| strangers, shop staff, teachers, bosses, older people | polite: です / ます |
| friends, family, children, close classmates | casual: plain forms |
| customers (when you're staff), formal speeches | keigo: special honorific and humble forms |
今いま、 忙いそがしい です か？ima, isogashii desu ka?
Casual今いま、 忙いそがしい？ima, isogashii?
Are you busy right now?この 本ほん、 もう 読よみました か？kono hon, mou yomimashita ka?
Casualこの 本ほん、 もう 読よんだ？kono hon, mou yonda?
Have you read this book yet?一緒いっしょ に 行いきません か？issho ni ikimasen ka?
Casual一緒いっしょ に 行いかない？issho ni ikanai?
Shall we go together?A今夜こんや 電話でんわ します。kon'ya denwa shimasu.I'll call you tonight.Polite.
B今夜こんや 電話でんわ する。kon'ya denwa suru.I'll call you tonight.Casual.