Japanese Advanced Japanese Language Skills Syllabus

Advanced Japanese Language Skills syllabus — full chapter and topic list

Expand any chapter to see its topics and sub-topics. This is the whole examinable outline for Advanced Japanese Language Skills in Japanese, not a summary of it.

1. 1

   Professional Japanese

   2 topics

   • Business Japanese
   • Formal Writing and Communication
2. 2

   Preparation for Proficiency Tests

   2 topics

   • JLPT Preparation
   • Other Certification Exams

Advanced Japanese Language Skills flashcards for Japanese

19 of 49 cards from the Advanced Japanese Language Skills deck — real questions with worked answers.

1. In business Japanese, what is 敬語 (keigo) and what are its three main categories?

   Keigo is the system of honorific/polite speech. Its three categories are 尊敬語 (sonkeigo, respectful language that elevates the listener/subject), 謙譲語 (kenjōgo, humble language that lowers oneself), and 丁寧語 (teineigo, polite language using です/ます).

2. What is the sonkeigo (respectful) form of the verb する (to do), and how does it differ from its kenjōgo form?

   The sonkeigo form of する is なさる (used for the actions of a superior). The kenjōgo (humble) form is いたす (used for one's own actions). Example: 社長がなさる vs. 私がいたします.

3. Give the sonkeigo and kenjōgo forms of 言う (to say).

   Sonkeigo (respectful): おっしゃる. Kenjōgo (humble): 申す / 申し上げる.

4. Give the sonkeigo and kenjōgo forms of 行く/来る (to go / to come).

   Sonkeigo: いらっしゃる (also おいでになる). Kenjōgo: 参る (go/come humbly) and 伺う (visit/ask/hear humbly).

5. Give the sonkeigo and kenjōgo forms of 見る (to see).

   Sonkeigo: ご覧になる. Kenjōgo: 拝見する.

6. Give the sonkeigo and kenjōgo forms of 食べる/飲む (to eat/drink).

   Sonkeigo: 召し上がる. Kenjōgo: いただく.

7. How do you form the general (regular) sonkeigo pattern for a verb using お and ください or になる?

   Respectful pattern: お + verb-stem (masu-stem) + になる (e.g., お読みになる = reads, respectfully). Respectful request: お + verb-stem + ください (e.g., お待ちください = please wait).

8. How do you form the general (regular) kenjōgo pattern for a verb?

   Humble pattern: お + verb-stem (masu-stem) + する/いたす (e.g., お持ちします / お持ちいたします = I will carry it, humbly). For する-verbs, ご + noun + する/いたす (e.g., ご連絡いたします).

9. What is 拝啓 (haikei) and 敬具 (keigu) in Japanese formal letter writing?

   They are paired opening and closing salutations in a formal letter. 拝啓 (haikei) is the opening greeting (like 'Dear...'), and 敬具 (keigu) is the closing (like 'Sincerely'). For more formal letters, 謹啓 opens and 敬白/謹言 closes.

10. In a formal Japanese letter, what is the required order of the four main structural sections?

    1) 前文 (zenbun): opening greeting including 頭語 (haikei) and seasonal greeting 時候の挨拶; 2) 主文 (shubun): main body, often begun with さて; 3) 末文 (matsubun): closing remarks; 4) 後付け (atozuke): date, sender name, recipient name.

11. What is 時候の挨拶 (jikō no aisatsu) in formal letters?

    A seasonal greeting placed near the start of a formal letter that refers to the current season/weather, e.g., 新緑の候 (early summer) or 師走の候 (December), typically followed by an inquiry after the recipient's well-being.

12. In business email, what is the standard opening phrase to a client or external party, and what does it mean?

    いつもお世話になっております ('Thank you for your continued support/business'). It is the conventional opening for emails to established external contacts.

13. What is the humble self-introduction opening phrase for a first-time business contact?

    お世話になります。〇〇株式会社の[名前]と申します — used when contacting someone for the first time. 申します is the humble form of 言う.

14. What does 恐れ入りますが mean and when is it used in business Japanese?

    It is a cushioning phrase (クッション言葉) meaning 'I'm terribly sorry to trouble you, but...', used to soften a request or imposition, e.g., 恐れ入りますが、少々お待ちいただけますでしょうか.

15. List three common クッション言葉 (cushion phrases) used to soften requests in business Japanese.

    恐れ入りますが (I'm sorry to trouble you but), 申し訳ございませんが (I apologize but), お手数をおかけしますが (sorry for the trouble but). Others: 差し支えなければ (if it's not inconvenient), あいにく (unfortunately).

16. What is the difference between 御社 (onsha) and 弊社 (heisha)?

    御社 is the respectful term for the listener's company ('your company', used in speech; 貴社 is the written form). 弊社 is the humble term for one's own company ('our company'; 当社 is neutral).

17. When answering the phone at a company, what is the standard business greeting?

    お電話ありがとうございます。〇〇株式会社の[名前]でございます ('Thank you for calling. This is [name] of [company].'). でございます is the polite form of です.

18. What does 承知いたしました mean, and how does it compare to かしこまりました?

    Both are humble expressions meaning 'Certainly / I understand and will comply', used to accept a request from a superior or customer. 承知いたしました is the humble form of 知る/わかる; かしこまりました conveys respectful acknowledgment of an instruction. Avoid 了解しました toward superiors/customers as it is too casual.

19. What is the difference in nuance between うかがう and 参る as humble verbs of motion?

    参る is 丁重語 (courteous language) that humbly refers to one's own going/coming, showing politeness to the listener generally. 伺う (うかがう) is kenjōgo that additionally raises the destination/person being visited, so it is used when visiting a specific respected person (also means to humbly ask/hear).

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