Keigo โ Japanese honorific language โ has a reputation as the hardest part of the language, and at its full extent that is fair.
You do not need its full extent. What you need to function in a Japanese workplace, and what JFT-Basic actually tests, is a manageable set of fixed expressions plus an understanding of one idea.
The one idea
Japanese encodes your relationship to the listener in the verb. The same action is expressed differently depending on whether you are raising the other person or lowering yourself.
Three registers:
- ไธๅฏง่ช (polite) โ the ใงใ/ใพใ you already know. The default at work.
- ๅฐๆฌ่ช (respectful) โ raises the other person. Used about their actions.
- ่ฌ่ญฒ่ช (humble) โ lowers yourself. Used about your own actions.
The mistake beginners make is using respectful language about themselves. That is not extra politeness; it is a noticeable error.
The phrases that get you through the day
These are used whole. Learn them as units attached to situations, not as grammar to be assembled:
| Phrase | When |
|---|---|
| ใใฏใใใใใใพใ | Arriving (used at work regardless of hour in many workplaces) |
| ใใคใใใใพใงใ | Greeting and acknowledging colleagues; extremely common |
| ใใใใซ ใใคใใใใพใ | Leaving before your colleagues |
| ใใคใใใใพใ | Entering or leaving a room; ending a call |
| ใใใใ ใใญใใใใพใ | Countless situations; roughly โplease treat me wellโ |
| ใใฟใพใใ | Apology, and getting attention |
| ใใใใใใใใพใใ | A more serious apology |
| ใใใใพใใพใใ /ๆฟ็ฅใใพใใ | Understood (to a superior or customer) |
| ใใญใใใใพใ | Please, when requesting |
| ใใใใจใใใใใพใ | Thank you |
That table is most of what you need to not cause offence in your first months.
The two patterns worth knowing
Beyond the fixed phrases, two structures come up constantly:
ใใพใใใใ โ offering to do something. ใใใกใใพใใใใ (shall I carry it?). Note it is an offer; ใใฆใใ ใใ would be an instruction, which is the classic exam trap.
ใใฆใใใใงใใ โ asking permission. ใใใฃใฆใใใใงใใ (may I go home?).
Between offering, requesting and asking permission, you can handle most workplace interactions politely.
What JFT-Basic tests
The Conversation and Expression section is largely about this. You are given a situation and four things you might say, all grammatical, and asked which is appropriate.
The wrong answers are usually the right words pointed in the wrong direction โ telling your manager to leave rather than excusing yourself, instructing rather than offering. See the Conversation and Expression section.
Where it matters most
Customer-facing work. If you are heading into accommodation or another role dealing with the public, the polite register is not decoration โ it is the job. Japanese service language goes well beyond what the exams test, and it is worth starting early.
Factory and site work needs less of it day to day, but you still need the greetings, the acknowledgements and the ability to report a problem respectfully.
How to learn it
Situationally. โใใใใซ ใใคใใใใพใ = what you say when leaving before colleaguesโ is usable. A translation is not.
Out loud. These are spoken forms, and reading them silently is weak practice.
By listening to how people actually speak. Volume of workplace Japanese teaches register faster than any explanation.
Without perfectionism. Nobody expects a foreign worker at A2 to produce flawless keigo. They do expect the basic phrases, delivered willingly. That is an achievable bar, and hitting it earns a great deal of goodwill.