Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
なさる (nasaru) is the honorific equivalent of the verb する (suru), which means “to do”.
🎯 Primary Function
To respectfully refer to the actions of a person superior in status (e.g., boss, teacher, elder) or someone you wish to show high respect towards.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb stem + なさる (Less common, usually for specific verbs like お～になる) OR なさる as a direct replacement for する (する -> なさる). The most common usage is なさる directly replacing する or combined with O- + verb stem for certain verbs.
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used frequently in business settings, speaking to superiors, formal speeches, and interactions with customers or guests.
Informal Situations
Rarely used in casual conversation among friends or family unless referring to the actions of a highly respected outsider.
Written Language
Common in formal letters, emails, reports, and official documents when referring to someone’s actions respectfully.
Spoken Language
Essential for polite conversations with superiors, elders, or people you meet for the first time in formal contexts.
💡 Common Applications
Referring to a superior’s actions (doing, making, etc.)
Used when describing something a boss, teacher, or other person of higher status is doing or did.
Example: 社長は今日早くお帰りになりますか。 (Shachō wa kyō hayaku ookaeri ni narimasu ka?) – Is the company president going home early today? (Note: While this example uses O-Vます form, the concept of referring to a superior’s action applies. A direct なさる example: 先生は何をなさっていますか。 (Sensei wa nani o nasatte imasu ka?) – What is the teacher doing?)
Asking a superior to do something (as a command/request)
Used in the imperative or request form (-nasai, -nasatte kudasai) to respectfully ask a superior to do something.
Example: どうぞ、こちらにお座りください。 (Dōzo, kochira ni osuwari kudasai.) – Please, sit here. (Note: O-V kudasai is more common, but なさる can be used. e.g., どうぞ、お楽になさってください。 (Dōzo, oraku ni nasatte kudasai.) – Please make yourself comfortable.)
Describing polite actions (often combined with O- verb stem)
Sometimes combined with the O- + verb stem form to create highly polite expressions.
Example: 社長はもうお休みになりました。 (Shachō wa mō oyasumi ni narimashita.) – The company president already went to rest/slept. (Note: なさる as the direct honorific of する is the core use. The O-V に なる construction is another honorific pattern. なさる replaces する directly, e.g., 宿題をなさる (shukudai o nasaru) – (someone high status) does homework.)
Frequency
Moderate frequency in formal and business settings. Less frequent in everyday casual conversation.
Difficulty
Intermediate (requires understanding of when and how to use honorifics, and its specific replacement for する). Fits well within N4/N3 understanding.
Example Sentences
先生は毎日新聞を読みますか？
Does the teacher read the newspaper every day?
先生は毎日新聞をお読みになりますか？
Does the teacher (honorific) read the newspaper every day? (Using O-V になる for comparison)
先生は毎日新聞をなさいますか？
Does the teacher (honorific) do the newspaper every day? (Slightly unnatural, as 読む has its own honorific, but shows なさる replacing する if the action was “doing” something with the newspaper)
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
Always for others
なさる is only used to refer to the actions of someone else, particularly those of higher status. Never use it for your own actions.
Example: 社長は会議に出席なさいます。 (Shachō wa kaigi ni shusseki nasaimasu.) – The president attends the meeting (correct). 私は会議に出席なさいます。(Watashi wa kaigi ni shusseki nasaimasu.) – I attend the meeting (incorrect).
Replacement for する
Its primary role is the honorific form of the verb する (to do).
Example: 料理をする (ryōri o suru) -> 料理をなさる (ryōri o nasaru) – to cook (honorific).
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ Using なさる for one’s own actions.
✅ Use standard polite form (-masu) or humble form (kenjōgo) for your own actions.
Honorifics (sonkeigo) are used to elevate the listener or the subject of the sentence when that subject is not you. Humble form (kenjōgo) lowers yourself to show respect to the listener/subject.
❌ Using なさる with every verb.
✅ なさる specifically replaces する or is used in certain O- verb stem constructions. Many verbs have their own specific honorific forms (e.g., 食べる/飲む -> 召し上がる) or use the O-V に なる structure.
While なさる is the honorific for する, other verbs have different honorific forms. Using なさる incorrectly can sound unnatural or wrong.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: High politeness (Sonkeigo – 尊敬語). Indicates significant respect for the subject of the verb.
Social Situations: Used when speaking to or about superiors (bosses, teachers, seniors), customers, esteemed guests, or people you want to show high respect to.
Regional Variations: Usage is standard across Japan in formal contexts, though frequency might vary slightly.
🔍 Subtle Differences
なさる vs. される
なさる is a specific honorific verb for する. される is the passive/honorific form often used for other verbs or as a general honorific particle.
When to use: Use なさる specifically for する. Use される with other verbs when their specific honorific form isn’t known or doesn’t exist, or in situations requiring a more general honorific particle.
なさる vs. O-V に なる
Both are honorifics. なさる is the honorific for する. O-V に なる is a general honorific pattern applicable to many verbs.
When to use: Use なさる for する actions. Use O-V に なる for many other verbs. Sometimes they are interchangeable depending on the verb (e.g., お帰りになる vs. お帰りなさる, though O-V に なる is often more common).
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📝 Conjugation Notes
なさる is a regular Godan verb. – Dictionary Form: なさる – ます Form: なさいます – ない Form: なさらない – た Form: なさった – て Form: なさって – Imperative: なさい (less strong than other imperatives, often used by elders to juniors or in certain set phrases like ご覧なさい) – Conditional (ば): なされば – Volitional: なさろう
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
The stress is typically on the second syllable: なSAる.
🧠 Memory Tips
Think of なさる as the “superior” version of する. “When a superior *does* something, they *naSAru* it.”
Practice Exercises
Choose the most appropriate honorific verb for する when speaking about your boss.
します
なさいます
いたします
されます
Which person’s action would you NOT use なさる for?
Your teacher
Your company president
Your younger sibling
A customer
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