honorific N4 common polite sonkeigo (respectful)
なさる — to do
なさる
Meaning
- the honorific (尊敬語) replacement for する — 'to do', said of an action performed by someone you respect
Key sentence
社長はゴルフをなさいます。
The company president plays golf.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Used in place of する; also attaches to a する-noun | なさる → polite なさいます | 予約はもうなさいましたか |
Variants
なさいます — the regular polite form; note the irregular なさ**い**ます, not ×なさります
Examples
どうなさいましたか。
What's the matter? (What happened?)
先生は毎朝散歩をなさいます。
The teacher takes a walk every morning.
ご注文は何になさいますか。
What would you like to order?
When you can't use it
- Honorific — use it for the listener or a respected third person, never for your own actions. To humble your own する, switch to いたす.
Easily confused with
Notes
- The soft command なさい('do ~') is the imperative of this verb.
See なさる in real sentences
Jengo shows なさる the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled from published Japanese grammar references.