For those of us who speak and communicate in Indian languages, using respectful speech comes naturally. Respectful speech in Indian languages and Japanese share many similarities, making it easier for Indian learners to grasp Japanese formal expressions.
Table of Contents:
- Familiarity with Honorifics
- Examples of Similarities Between Indian Languages and Japanese
- Hindi
- Tamil
- Marathi
- Bengali
- Malayalam
- Telugu
- Kannada
- Punjabi
- Why Understanding Honorifics Helps in Learning Japanese
- Career Benefits of Learning Japanese
Familiarity with Honorifics
Understanding honorifics in Indian languages makes it easier to adapt to Japanese polite speech (keigo). Languages like Hindi, Tamil, and Telugu use specific words to show respect, much like Japanese. This similarity is particularly beneficial for Indians working in Japanese companies or pursuing higher education in Japan.
Examples of Respectful Speech in Indian Languages and Japanese
Hindi (हिन्दी)
- जी (Ji) – Added for respect (similar to さん (San))
- Example: रामजी (Ram ji) → Mr. Ram
- श्री (Shri) / श्रीमती (Shrimati) – Formal titles (like 様 (Sama))
- कृपया (Kripya) – Polite way of saying “please” (similar to お願いいたします (Onegai itashimasu))
Tamil (தமிழ்)
- அவர் (Avar) – Polite pronoun for “he/she” (similar to その方 (Sono kata))
- திரு (Thiru) / திருமதி (Thirumathi) – Formal titles (like 様 (Sama))
- வணக்கம் (Vanakkam) – Formal greeting (similar to こんにちは (Konnichiwa))
Marathi (मराठी)
- साहेब (Saheb) / बाई (Bai) – Honorific suffixes (similar to さん (San))
- Example: देशपांडे साहेब (Deshpande Saheb) → Mr. Deshpande
- कृपया (Kripaya) – Polite “please” (like お願いします (Onegai shimasu))
Bengali (বাংলা)
- মশাই (Moshai) / বাবু (Babu) / দিদি (Didi) – Respectful suffixes (like さん (San))
- শ্রী (Shri) / মিসেস (Mrs.) – Honorific titles (like 様 (Sama))
- নমস্কার (Nomoshkar) – Formal greeting (like こんにちは (Konnichiwa))
Malayalam (മലയാളം)
- അവർ (Avar) – Respectful third-person pronoun (like その方 (Sono kata))
- ശ്രീ (Shri) / ശ്രീമതി (Shrimathi) – Formal titles (like 様 (Sama))
- ദയവായി (Dayavaayi) – Polite “please” (like お願いします (Onegai shimasu))
Telugu (తెలుగు)
- గారు (Garu) – Honorific suffix (like さん (San))
- Example: రమేశ్ గారు (Ramesh Garu) → Mr. Ramesh
- దయచేసి (Dayachesi) – Polite “please” (like お願いします (Onegai shimasu))
Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ)
- ನೀವು (Neewu) – Formal “you” (like あなた (Anata))
- ಗೌರವಾನ್ವಿತ (Gauravaanvita) – Respectful title meaning “Honorable”
- ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ (Namaskara) – Formal greeting (like こんにちは (Konnichiwa))
Punjabi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ)
- ਉਹਨਾਂ (Uhnan) – Respectful third-person pronoun (like その方 (Sono kata))
- ਸ਼੍ਰੀ (Shri) / ਸ਼੍ਰੀਮਤੀ (Shrimati) – Formal titles (like 様 (Sama))
- ਸਾਹਿਬ (Sahib) / ਜੀ (Ji) – Honorific suffixes (like さん (San))
Why Understanding Honorifics Helps in Learning Japanese
Indian languages place a strong emphasis on respectful speech, just like Japanese. The use of honorifics in daily conversation helps Indian learners grasp Japanese keigo (polite speech) more naturally. This cultural similarity provides a head start for Indians learning Japanese, making formal expressions easier to understand and use in professional settings.
Career Benefits of Learning Japanese
With Japan being a major hub for industries like IT, trade, and tourism, learning Japanese offers many benefits:
- Increased job opportunities in multinational companies
- Better communication when working with Japanese clients
- Higher education prospects in Japan
- Access to Japanese pop culture, including anime and manga
Conclusion
The presence of honorifics in Indian languages makes it easier for Indians to learn Japanese polite speech (keigo). If you are familiar with respectful expressions in your native language, mastering Japanese formal speech will be much smoother!
What respectful words do you use in your language? Drop a comment below!
Related Articles:
- Learning Japanese Is Easy for Indians – Part 1
- Learning Japanese Is Easy for Indians – Part 2
- Benefits of Learning Japanese Language in India
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