Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
The honorific (Sonkeigo) form of three common verbs: いる (to be/exist, animate), 行く (to go), and 来る (to come).
🎯 Primary Function
To show profound respect (Sonkeigo) to the subject of the sentence (the person performing the action), elevating their status.
📋 Grammar Structure
[Subject (Superior)] が/は [Location/Direction] に/へ いらっしゃる
N/A (This is a verb)
N/A (This is a verb)
いらっしゃらない (Plain) / いらっしゃいません (Polite)
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Required when speaking about superiors, clients, or elderly people in business or official settings.
Informal Situations
Rarely used, as Keigo is generally avoided in casual speech, though it may be used humorously or ironically among close friends.
Written Language
Used in formal letters, emails, and internal communication when referencing actions of high-ranking personnel.
Spoken Language
Very common in customer service, greetings (いらっしゃいませ), and formal conversations.
💡 Common Applications
Honorific ‘To Be’ (いる)
Used to respectfully state or inquire about the existence or location of a superior.
Example: 先生は研究室にいらっしゃいます。 (The teacher is in the research room.)
Honorific ‘To Go’ (行く)
Used when describing the movement (going) of a superior or respected person.
Example: 部長は明日、東京へいらっしゃいます。 (The manager is going to Tokyo tomorrow.)
Honorific ‘To Come’ (来る)
Used when describing the arrival (coming) of a superior or respected person.
Example: お客様はもうすぐいらっしゃいます。 (The customer will be coming soon.)
Frequency
High in formal, business, and service industry contexts. Low in casual conversation.
Difficulty
Intermediate (JLPT N4/N3) – High for Keigo usage.
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
社長は会議室にいらっしゃいます。
Furigana: しゃちょうはかいぎしつにいらっしゃいます。
Romaji: Shachō wa kaigishitsu ni irasshaimasu.
English: The president is in the meeting room.
Example #2
先生は昨日、学校にいらっしゃいましたか。
Furigana: せんせいはきのう、がっこうにいらっしゃいましたか。
Romaji: Sensei wa kinō, gakkō ni irasshaimashita ka.
English: Did the teacher come to school yesterday?
Example #3
お客様はもうお帰りになりましたか、それともまだいらっしゃいますか。
Furigana: おきゃくさまはもうおかえりになりましたか、それともまだいらっしゃいますか。
Romaji: Okyakusama wa mō okaeri ni narimashita ka, soretomo mada irasshaimasu ka.
English: Has the customer already left, or are they still here?
Example #4
部長はどちらにいらっしゃいますか。
Furigana: ぶちょうはどちらにいらっしゃいますか。
Romaji: Buchō wa dochira ni irasshaimasu ka.
English: Where is the department manager?
Example #5
もしよろしければ、明日私の家においで、いらっしゃってください。
Furigana: もしよろしければ、あしたわたしのうちにおいでいらっしゃってください。
Romaji: Moshi yoroshikereba, ashita watashi no uchi ni oide, irasshatte kudasai.
English: If it is alright, please come to my house tomorrow. (Honorific invitation)
Example #6
皆様、どうぞこちらへいらっしゃいませ。
Furigana: みなさま、どうぞこちらへいらっしゃいませ。
Romaji: Minasama, dōzo kochira e irasshaimase.
English: Everyone, please come this way. (Common greeting/invitation)
Example #7
田中様はご出張で、今はいらっしゃいません。
Furigana: たなかさまはごしゅっちょうで、いまはいらっしゃいません。
Romaji: Tanaka-sama wa goshutchō de, ima wa irasshaimasen.
English: Mr. Tanaka is on a business trip and is not here now.
Example #8
お母様はまだお元気でいらっしゃいますか。
Furigana: おかあさまはまだおげんきでいらっしゃいますか。
Romaji: Okā-sama wa mada ogenki de irasshaimasu ka.
English: Is your mother still in good health?
Example #9
これからお客様がいらっしゃいますので、準備をしましょう。
Furigana: これからおきゃくさまがいらっしゃいますので、じゅんびをしましょう。
Romaji: Korekara okyakusama ga irasshaimasu node, junbi o shimashō.
English: A customer will be coming soon, so let’s prepare.
Example #10
田中先生は午後に大阪へいらっしゃる予定です。
Furigana: たなかせんせいはごごにおおさかへいらっしゃるよていです。
Romaji: Tanaka-sensei wa gogo ni Ōsaka e irassharu yotei desu.
English: Professor Tanaka is scheduled to go to Osaka in the afternoon.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Fixed Greeting: いらっしゃいませ
The imperative/greeting form, いらっしゃいませ, is a fixed phrase meaning “Welcome!” or “Please come in.” This is one of the most frequently heard uses of the verb.
Example: いらっしゃいませ！
One Verb, Three Meanings
いらっしゃる combines the meanings of いる, 行く, and 来る, making it a highly versatile and necessary honorific verb for various situations. Context determines the exact meaning.
Example: 社長はいらっしゃいますか？ (Is the president here/in?)
Used to State Condition/Status
いらっしゃる can be used with adjectives and nouns in the construction 〜でいらっしゃる (or 〜でいらっしゃいます) to respectfully state a condition or status.
Example: お母様はまだお元気でいらっしゃいますか？
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 社長がおります。
✅ 社長がいらっしゃいます。 (The president is here.)
いらっしゃる is Sonkeigo (respectful language), so it is used for the *subject* (the superior). Using おります for the superior is incorrect. おります is humble (Kenjōgo), used only for the speaker or their in-group.
❌ 先生はいらします。
✅ 先生は明日、お越しになります。 (Formal alternative)
いらっしゃる is a Godan verb (Group 1), so its polite -masu form is いらっしゃいます, not いらします (which is a common mistake based on other verbs).
❌ お客様はそこにいらっしゃいませ。
✅ お客様がいらっしゃいませ。 (Incorrect as a statement)
いらっしゃいませ is a fixed welcoming phrase (an imperative form). When making a general statement about someone’s presence or arrival, use いらっしゃいます or いらっしゃいました.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Very High (Sonkeigo – Highest respect)
Social Situations: Essential in customer service (接客), speaking about one’s company president (社長), teachers (先生), and any highly respected figure.
Regional Variations: Standard across Japan, though Keigo usage frequency may vary slightly between regions and business cultures.
🔍 Subtle Differences
いらっしゃる vs. おいでになる
Both are Sonkeigo for 行く (to go) and 来る (to come). おいでになる is often considered a slightly softer or more common honorific than いらっしゃる, though both are high respect.
When to use: Use いらっしゃる for general high-respect situations. Use おいでになる when using the standard お/ご〜になる pattern for consistency.
いらっしゃる vs. おる/まいる
いらっしゃる is *Sonkeigo* (respectful of the subject). おる (humble for いる) and まいる (humble for 行く/来る) are *Kenjōgo* (humble language, used for the speaker/in-group).
When to use: Use いらっしゃる when talking about a superior. Use おる/まいる when talking about yourself or your in-group to a superior.
いらっしゃる vs. お越しになる
お越しになる is Sonkeigo specifically for 来る (to come), formed by the お〜になる pattern. It is slightly more formal/archaic than いらっしゃる.
When to use: Use いらっしゃる for general use. Use お越しになる in very formal written communication or speeches when emphasizing arrival.
📝 Conjugation Notes
いらっしゃる is a Godan (Group 1) verb. Its stem (いらっしゃり) is rarely seen. The Te-form is いらっしゃって, the Ta-form is いらっしゃった, and the polite form is いらっしゃいます. The imperative form, いらっしゃい, is used most famously in the fixed greeting いらっしゃいませ.
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
Ensure smooth pronunciation of the double ‘sh’ sound (っしゃ). The rhythm is: i-RA-sharu. When saying the polite form いらっしゃいます, ensure the ‘u’ sound at the end is often devoiced (similar to ‘irasshaimas’).
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of ‘Irassharu’ as the VIP version of three basic verbs (Iru, Iku, Kuru). When you talk about a Very Important Person doing any of those actions, you must upgrade the verb to Irassharu.
Other Grammar
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