Practice JLPTHow to tell them apart
お〜になる raises the person you are talking about, while お〜する lowers your own action to show politeness to the listener. The key is whose action it is: if the verb is someone else's, use お〜になる (先生がお読みになる); if the verb is your own action that affects the listener, use お〜する (私がお話しする). Swapping them reverses the respect direction and sounds unnatural.
- おになる Use お〜になる when describing someone else's action or state to show respect.
- おする Use お〜する when describing your own action that involves or affects the listener.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| おになる oninaru | Honorific form (respect) | N4 |
| おする osuru | Humble form (politeness) | N4 |
おになる oninaru
Honorific form (respect)
A phrase which expresses the speaker’s respect for someone when describing that person’s action or state
-
この本をもうお読みになりましたか。
Have you read this book yet?
-
グッドマン先生は私の名前をお忘れになった。
Professor Goodman has forgotten my name.
おする osuru
Humble form (politeness)
A phrase which humbly expresses the speaker’s politeness to someone when describing the speaker’s action or state that involves or affects that person.
-
そのことは私がお話ししましょう。
I will tell you about that matter.
-
山村君は先生に本をお借りした。
Mr. Yamamura borrowed a book from his teacher.
おになる and おする are both JLPT N4 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares them side by side — meanings, usage and example sentences — so you can tell them apart.