いらっしゃる
🃏 Flashcard
いらっしゃる
irassharu
Tap to reveal usage
to be; to come; to go (polite version)
N4
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📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
irassharu
Post ID
50704
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
to be; to come; to go (polite version)
📖 How to use it
いらっしゃる is a polite verb used as the honorific form of いる, くる, and いく, meaning 'to be', 'to come', or 'to go', respectively.
Attaches to
This verb is used independently, not attached to other forms. It is often used in the ます-form (いらっしゃいます) or as いらっしゃって (te-form) for requests. It does not attach to stems or dictionary forms.
いらっしゃる is an honorific verb that raises the status of the person you are talking about. Use it when the subject is someone you respect, such as a customer, teacher, or elder. It can replace いる (to be/exist), くる (to come), and いく (to go). For example, instead of saying 先生はいます (a teacher is here), you say 先生はいらっしゃいます. Similarly, instead of saying 田中さんは来ます (Tanaka-san comes), you say 田中さんはいらっしゃいます. Note that the meaning depends on context, so you must infer from particles or situation whether it means 'is', 'comes', or 'goes'.
先生は明日学校にいらっしゃいますか。
Sensei wa ashita gakkō ni irasshaimasu ka.
Will the teacher come to school tomorrow?
お客様はもういらっしゃいました。
O-kyaku-sama wa mō irasshaimashita.
The customer has already arrived.
社長は今会議室にいらっしゃいます。
Shachō wa ima kaigishitsu ni irasshaimasu.
The president is in the meeting room now.
Not おいでになる
Both are honorifics for いる/くる/いく, but いらっしゃる is more common and less stiff. おいでになる is more formal and often used in written or very polite speech. For everyday polite conversation, いらっしゃる is safer.
Register
いらっしゃる is polite and used in respectful speech toward superiors or customers; it is not used for oneself or in casual conversation.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
いらっしゃる
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat いらっしゃる three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using いらっしゃる. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern いらっしゃる mean?
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To be; to come; to go (polite version)
What JLPT level is いらっしゃる?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use いらっしゃる in a sentence?
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Attach いらっしゃる (irassharu) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is いらっしゃる formal or casual Japanese?
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いらっしゃる is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember いらっしゃる long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.