お〜

お〜 is an honorific expression meaning polite prefix. Polite and honorific language (敬語) is essential in Japanese for showing respect in formal, business, and social situations. Using the correct level of formality demonstrates cultural awareness and social skill.

This is a foundational pattern that you will use from day one of your Japanese studies.

When to Use#

• When adding politeness to everyday nouns (お水, お名前)
• When speaking respectfully in formal situations

When NOT to Use#

• In very formal writing where a more sophisticated expression would be expected

Example Sentences#

• お大事に。 — Take care of yourself.
• お元気ですか。 — How are you?
• お久しぶりです。 — Long time no see.

Practice#

Try reading these sentences aloud, then check the translation and vocabulary:

Common Mistakes#

1. Direct translation from English — The concept expressed by お〜 may not map one-to-one with its English translation. Focus on understanding the Japanese usage through example sentences rather than relying on the English gloss.

Related Patterns#

• お〜になる (do (honorific)) — Next step