Japanese Formal Form (Using Romaji)

This guide focuses on speaking and understanding formal Japanese, written entirely in romaji. If you’re interested in learning to read and write in hiragana, katakana, or kanji, I recommend using other resources, or asking ChatGPT for a custom plan.
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⚠️ Some of these conjugations for -masu form may be taught differently, I’m teaching this way because I only care to speak or read Japanese in Romaji.

🎎 What Makes Japanese Formal?

Japanese has different levels of formality depending on:

• Who you’re speaking to
• Social status and relationship
• The situation (casual vs professional)

Here, we’ll cover three of the most common formal forms used in everyday polite speech:

1. Desu (used with nouns and adjectives)
2. -masu (used with verbs)
3. -te kudasai (used to make polite requests)
4. “o-” prefix (used before a noun to show respect)

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1. 💬 Desu – Polite Ending for Nouns and Adjectives

Desu is one of the most basic ways to end a sentence politely in Japanese.

🗣️ Pronunciation Tip: It’s said like “des” (the “u” is usually silent, although in anime it’s often said as “de-su” to sound cute).

Use desu after:

• Nouns → “This is a book”
• Adjectives → “It’s delicious”

Examples:

• Kore wa hon desu – This is a book
• Andy desu – I’m Andy
• Oishii desu – It’s delicious
• Hoshii desu ka? – Do you want it? (more on “ka” question ending in another post)

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2. 🧠 -Masu Form – Formal Verb Conjugation

The -masu form is used to make verbs polite and is essential for beginner conversations.

🗣️ Pronounced “mas,” with a silent “u” (like desu).

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🔸 Ichidan Verbs (verbs ending in -eru or -iru)

Just drop the -ru and add -masu

Plain Verb	Meaning	-Masu Form
Taberu	to eat	Tabemasu
Miru	to see/watch	Mimasu
Neru	to sleep	Nemasu
Deru	to leave	Demasu
Kangaeru	To think/consider/predict	Kangaemasu

Example Sentences:

• Mainichi asagohan wo tabemasu – I eat breakfast every day
• Uchi de, tomodachi to eiga wo mimasu – I watch a movie with a friend at home
• Ku ji ni nemasu – I sleep at 9

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🕓 Telling Time in Japanese

To tell the time in Japanese, use:

• [number] + ji = “o’clock”
• [number] + ji + [number] + fun/pun = “[hour]:[minutes]”

⏱ Fun vs. Pun — Minute Counter Trick

Japanese uses different pronunciations for “minutes” depending on the number.

It’s a sound-based phonetic pattern. The last number (not the first) determines if it ends in -fun or -pun:

Ends In	Use
1, 3, 4, 6, 8, 10	→ -pun
2, 5, 7, 9	→ -fun

💡 Think of it like this:
The number before “fun/pun” controls how it’s said.

🕒 Examples:

• 1 minute = ippun
• 2 minutes = nifun
• 3 minutes = sanpun
• 4 minutes = yonpun
• 5 minutes = gofun
• 6 minutes = roppun
• 7 minutes = nanafun
• 8 minutes = happun
• 9 minutes = kyuufun
• 10 minutes = juppun

💬 This same pattern continues past 10.
You always look at the last digit to decide between fun or pun:

• 14 minutes = juuyonpun
• 25 minutes = nijuugofun
• 38 minutes = sanjuuhappun

📌 Note: For exact 30 minutes past, the special word is han:

1:30 = ichi ji han (not “ichi ji sanjuppun”)

Add “ni” after time (and days) when they’re used as time indicators.

Number	Time	Pronunciation
4	Yo ji	not shi ji (avoids the “death” reading)
7	Shichi ji	not nana ji
9	Ku ji	(not kyuu ji)

• Go ji desu – It’s 5 o’clock
• San ji ni kaerimasu – I’ll go home at 3 o’clock
• juu-ni ji san-juu san pun – It’s 12:33 o’clock

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🔸 Godan Verbs (verbs ending in -u)

Change the final -u syllable → -i + -masu:

Verb	Meaning	-Masu Form
Kiku	to listen	Kikimasu
Kaku	to write	Kakimasu
Nomu	to drink	Nomimasu
Iu	to say	Iimasu

Example Sentences:

• Tomodachi to aimasu – I meet with friends
• Kuruma wo norimasu ka? – Do you want to ride in the car?
• Yuki-chan wa yasashii to omoimasu – I think Yuki is kind

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🔸 Godan Verbs (verbs ending in -tsu)

Change the final -tsu syllable → -chi + -masu:

Verb	Meaning	-Masu Form
Matsu	to wait	Matchimasu
Tatsu	to stand	Tatchimasu
Motsu	to carry/hold/possess	Mochimasu

Japanese doesn’t have a -tsi sound, so it defaults to -chi conjugation

Example Sentences:

• Kare wa booru wo uchimasu – He hits the ball.
• Basu kara orichimasu – I get off the bus.
• Sensei ni shukudai wo watashimasu – I hand the homework to the teacher.
• Takusan no nimotsu wo mochimasu – I carry many bags.
• Kono michi wo toorimasu – We pass through this road.

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🔸 Godan Verbs (verbs ending in -su)

Change the final -su syllable → -shi + -masu:

Verb	Meaning	-Masu Form
hanasu	to listen	Hanashimasu
Kesu	to turn off/erase	Keshimasu
kaesu	to return	kaeshimasu

Japanese doesn’t have a -si sound, so it defaults to -shi conjugation

Example Sentences:

• Haha wa mainichi watashi wo okoshimasu – My mom wakes me up every day.
• Kagi wo sagashimasu – I’m looking for the key.
• Jidousha ga douro wo tooshimasu – The car passes through the road.
• Kare wa kanojo wo damashimasu – He tricks his girlfriend.
• Resutoran e no michi wo sagashimasu – I search for the way to the restaurant.

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⚠️Exceptions:

Some -ru verbs are Godan and some are Ichidan
Some godan verbs end in -ru, just like ichidan verbs, but they follow different rules. The only way to know which is which is by memorization or checking a dictionary.

• If it’s a Godan verb, it conjugates to -ri + masu
• If it’s an Ichidan verb, you just drop -ru and add -masu

🔸 Godan Verbs (verbs ending in -ru)

Change the final -ru syllable → -ri + -masu:

Verb	Meaning	-Masu Form
Kaeru	to go home	Kaerimasu
Hashiru	to run	Hashirimasu
Hairu	to enter	Hairimasu

Example Sentences:

• Asa ni kouen de hashirimasu – I run in the park in the morning.
• Yuki no ue de suberimasu – I slip on the snow.
• Kono pasuwaado wa jikan wo kagirimasu – This password limits the time.
• Heya ni hairimasu – I enter the room.
• Tomodachi to shaberimasu – I chat with my friend.

🔸 Ichidan Verbs (verbs ending in -ru)

Drop the final -ru syllable add -masu:

Verb	Meaning	-Masu Form
Taberu	to eat	Tabemasu
Miru	to see/watch/look	Mimasu
Neru	to sleep	Nemasu

Example Sentences:

• Shashin wo misemasu – I show the photo.
• Hon wo karimasu – I borrow a book.
• Kare no taido ni akiremasu – I’m shocked by his attitude.
• Mainichi hataraite tsukaremasu – I get tired from working every day.
• Tomodachi ni purezento wo agemasu – I give a present to my friend.

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3. 🙇‍♀️ -Te Form + Kudasai – Polite Requests

To ask someone to “please do something”, conjugate the verb into -te form, then add kudasai.
Please learn the -te form if you haven’t to make this section easier: 👉 Japanese request form -te form

Format: [Verb in -te form] + kudasai

💡 You can also say “onegai shimasu” after a verb in te-form for a slightly softer or more formal request:

• Tabete onegai shimasu – Please eat (more humble/polite)

Examples:

• Tabete kudasai – Please eat
• Matte kudasai – Please wait
• Kite kudasai – Please come (irregular verb)
• Kiite kudasai – Please listen
• Yonde kudasai – Please read

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🔁 Example Verbs + Sentences

Here are 5 more -te form request examples:

Verb	Meaning	-Te Form	Polite Request
Akeru	to open	Akete	Akete kudasai – Please open it
Shimaru	to close	Shimete	Shimete kudasai – Please close it
Tetsudau	to help	Tetsudatte	Tetsudatte kudasai – Please help me
Kesu	to turn off	Keshite	Keshite kudasai – Please turn it off
Motsu	to carry/hold	Motte	Motte kudasai – Please carry this

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🔧 Irregular Verbs

These don’t follow normal rules, but they’re common!

Verb	Meaning	-Masu Form
Suru	to do	Shimasu
Kuru	to come	Kimasu
Benkyou suru	to study	Benkyou shimasu
Ryokou suru	to travel	Ryokou shimasu

Examples:

• Ken-kun wa mainichi doitsugo wo benkyou shimasu – Ken studies German every day
• Ashita wa Satoru no tanjoubi desu. Kimasu ka? – Tomorrow is Satoru’s birthday. Will you come?
• Maishuu nichiyoubi ni otousan wa ryouri shimasu – Every Sunday, my dad cooks

🧠 Note: Maishuu is used to express frequency with days of the week.
Mai (every) + shuu (week) = “every week”

You add this to a day of the week to say “every [day]”:

• maishuu getsuyoubi – Every Monday
• maishuu kayoubi – Every Tuesday
• maishuu kinyoubi – Every Friday

To say “every weekend,” use: mai + shuumatsu (weekend) → maishuumatsu.

This same pattern applies to many other recurring time expressions:

• mainichi – every day
• maiban – every evening
• maiasa – every morning
• maitsuki – every month
• maitoshi – every year

🧠 Note: There are multiple words for “father”:

• Otousan – polite, casual
• Chichi or Chichioya – formal
• Papa – cute/informal

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The O- Prefix (お〜)

While the “o-” prefix isn’t formal in the same way as using desu, -masu, or kudasai, it’s still part of polite and respectful speech.

Think of it as a soft, respectful touch, common in everyday polite conversation, especially in customer service or when showing respect for everyday things like food, stores, or people’s possessions.

🧠 In Japanese culture, adding “o-” to a noun shows respect or humility toward the object or action, even if it’s something simple.

💡 When is it used?

• Often attached to common nouns, especially those tied to daily life or things people commonly enjoy
• Common in formal or customer-facing situations
• Used by women more often in casual speech (but men use it too in formal settings)

Examples:

• o-cha → O-cha wo nomimasu. – I drink tea.
• o-namae → O-namae wa nan desu ka? – What is your name?
• o-hashi → O-hashi wo tsukaimasu. – I use chopsticks.
• o-tearai → O-tearai wa doko desu ka? – Where is the restroom?
• o-mise → O-mise ni ikimasu. – I’m going to the store.

✅ Summary:

• It’s not required for every noun, but it’s very common in polite or respectful speech.
• You’ll hear it a lot when others are trying to be polite, especially at restaurants, stores, or when meeting someone new.

You can think of it as a “politeness booster” in front of nouns.
(On a side note, -o prefix is an imperative verb ending, can be considered rude or forceful when used, more on this in a later page.)

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🎯 Final Notes

• All examples are in romaji for ease of speaking
• Desu, -masu, and -te kudasai are must-know forms for polite Japanese
• You don’t need to sound robotic, casual/formal switching comes with practice!

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🧪 Want to practice?

Use ChatGPT to:

• Quiz you on the -masu and -te forms
• Help you conjugate new verbs
• Create practice dialogues

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