Grammar Info

N4 Lesson 7: 11/18

なさる

To do (Honorific)

Remember not to use honorific language when speaking about yourself and your actions!

Structure

する ￫ なさる
料理(りょうり)する ￫ 料理(りょうり)なさる
お + Verb［ます］+ なさる

Conjugations
Verb［る］ ￫ なさる
Verb［ない］ ￫ なさらない
Verb［た］ ￫ なさった
Verb［なかった］ ￫ なさらなかった

Details

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    Polite

About なさる

なさる is an honorific language verb which acknowledges and respects the actions of another (never the speaker). Like お～になる, なさる has exactly the same meaning as する.

なさる can be utilized in any situation where する would be used, as a direct replacement. It is a special-class verb, which means that it has some unique conjugation rules. In its casual form, it will conjugate in exactly the same way as a う-Verb.

However, in the polite form, instead of る changing to り (as would be expected of a う-Verb), it will change to い instead.

Caution

Although some Japanese speakers will use it, expressions like なさっていらっしゃる are considered double keigo (なさる is honorific language, and いらっしゃる is also honorific language), and are technically incorrect. However, なさる may be partnered with ます, which is simply polite speech.

  • 社長(しゃちょう)は今(いま)、ゴルフをなさっていらっしゃる。
    The CEO is currently playing golf quite playingly. (Unnatural Japanese, with unnatural English to match!)
  • 社長(しゃちょう)は今(いま)ゴルフをなさっています。
    The CEO is currently playing golf. (Natural Japanese)

Fun Fact

なさる is considered a little bit old fashioned in modern Japanese, and お～になる is the preferred form used by most native speakers.

Examples

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    お飲(の)み物(もの)はどうなさいますか。

    What will you have to drink?

    今朝(けさ)、彼(かれ)は家(いえ)を留守(るす)になさいました。

    He was away from home this morning.

    子供(こども)のころスポーツをなさっていたんですね。

    I hear that you played sports when you were younger.

    今(いま)何(なに)を勉強(べんきょう)なさっていますか。

    What are you studying now?

    何(なに)をなさろうとするのですか。

    What will you attempt to do?

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なさる – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (29 in total)

  • busnea

    busnea

    Why do I have to use the polite form in one review but not in the other? What is the indication in those two example sentences?

  • Zaichiki

    Zaichiki

    Why can’t いらっしゃいました be accepted here? It seems it would fit as a description of a state (in this case, being away)?

  • nekoyama

    nekoyama

    It’s phrased as 家を留守にする, maybe closer to “leave the house unattended” in English. いる etc. don’t fit.

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