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JLPT N4Honorific Language

いらっしゃる— The Honorific Trinity (いる／行く／来る)

A core sonkeigo (respectful) verb that elevates the listener's actions. Remarkably, it is the respectful equivalent of THREE verbs: いる (to be/exist), 行く (to go), and 来る (to come).

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A short lesson: the pattern, its sentence anatomy, a quick quiz and a sentence to build.

Pro lessonUNIT 20 · HONORIFIC LANGUAGE

Structure · 形

[Respected subject] が/は いらっしゃる (polite: いらっしゃいます)

Examples · 例文

  • 社長はいらっしゃいますか？

    Shachō wa irasshaimasu ka?

    Is the president in?

    いらっしゃる replacing いる (is present)

  • 明日はどちらにいらっしゃいますか？

    Ashita wa dochira ni irasshaimasu ka?

    Where will you be going tomorrow?

    いらっしゃる replacing 行く (to go)

  • お客様がいらっしゃいました。

    Okyakusama ga irasshaimashita.

    A guest has arrived.

    いらっしゃる replacing 来る (to come)

Usage notes · 注意

  • The Golden Keigo Rule: you cannot use sonkeigo about yourself. "私はいらっしゃる" is ungrammatical and rude — use おる (humble) for yourself.
  • Shopkeeper origin: the famous store phrase "いらっしゃいませ" (Welcome!) comes from this verb — "you have graciously come."

Commonly confused with

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones いらっしゃる is tested against.

vsおる / まいる (humble self)

いらっしゃる raises the LISTENER (いる/行く/来る). For your OWN existence/going/coming you must use humble おる (be) and まいる (go/come). Never mix them up by direction of respect.

vsおいでになる

おいでになる is another sonkeigo form covering いる/行く/来る and feels slightly softer/older. いらっしゃる is the everyday standard respectful choice.

More honorific language

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