お/ご〜する

Humble Verb Form

Level 3Sounds Like o/go~suru

The お/ご〜する pattern is a form of Kenjougo (Humble Japanese). It is used when you (the speaker) do something for a person of higher status. It lowers your own position to elevate the person receiving the action.

How It Works

This pattern is essential for professional and formal Japanese. It functions by showing that the speaker's action is performed with deference toward the recipient.

1. Morphological Rules:

  • Wago (Native Japanese): Use the prefix お with the Masu-stem. For example, 持ちます（もちます） becomes お持ちする.
  • Kango (Sino-Japanese): Use the prefix ご with the noun base of a Suru-verb. For example, 案内する（あんないする） becomes ご案内する.

2. Important Exceptions:
Some common Kango verbs use お instead of ご because they are deeply integrated into daily life. Examples include: お電話（でんわ）する, お掃除（そうじ）する, and お洗濯（せんたく）する.

3. When NOT to use it:

  • No Recipient: Do not use this for actions that don't involve another person. You cannot say お帰りします to mean "I am going home" because going home doesn't 'target' a superior.
  • Single Syllable Stems: Verbs with one-syllable stems (like 見る or 寝る) generally do not use this pattern.
  • Suppletive Forms: If a verb has a unique humble word (like 参る for 行く/来る), that word is usually preferred over this pattern.

4. Higher Formality:
In very formal situations, replace する with いたす (e.g., お持ちいたします).

Examples (4)

  1. 重そうな荷物ですね。お持ちしましょうか。

    Those bags look heavy. Shall I carry them for you?

    Word by Word: Heavy-looking luggage, isn't it? (Humble) carry shall I?

    The speaker uses お持ちする because they are offering to perform an action that benefits the listener.

  2. 明日、こちらからご案内します。

    I will guide you tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Tomorrow, from this side (humble) guide will do.

    案内 is a Kango (Sino-Japanese) verb, so it takes the prefix ご.

  3. 先生に新しい本をお貸ししました。

    I lent a new book to the teacher.

    Word by Word: To teacher, new book (humble) lend did.

    Even though the teacher isn't the listener, the action of 'lending' is directed toward a respected person, so the humble form is used.

  4. 後ほどお電話します。

    I will call you later.

    Word by Word: Later (humble) phone will do.

    電話 is an exception; despite being a Kango verb, it uses the お prefix.

Common Mistakes

  • Using the humble form for the other person's action.

    先生、お読みしましたか。
    先生、お読みになりましたか。

    お〜する is for YOUR actions. To show respect for the OTHER person's action, you must use the honorific form お/ご〜になる.

  • Using the dictionary form instead of the verb stem.

    お持つします。
    お持ちします。

    The pattern requires the verb stem (the part before ~masu), not the dictionary form.

  • Using it for actions that don't involve a superior.

    私は毎日お散歩します。
    私は毎日散歩します。

    Since 'taking a walk' is a self-contained action that doesn't benefit or target a respected person, using the humble form is unnatural.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

お/ご〜するLevel 3Humble Verb Form

Learn This First

The humble form 'お/ご〜する' is a core component of Japanese honorifics (Keigo). To use it, you must understand how to extract the verb stem from the 'ます form' and know when it is appropriate to use humble language (Kenjougo) versus respectful language (Sonkeigo).

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