A2 Expression 正式

ご存知ですか

Gozonji desu ka

Do you know?

Phrase in 30 Seconds

A polite, respectful way to ask if someone is aware of a fact, person, or piece of information.

  • Means: 'Do you know?' or 'Are you aware of?' in a respectful tone.
  • Used in: Business meetings, talking to teachers, or addressing strangers politely.
  • Don't confuse: Never use this to describe your own knowledge; use '{存|ぞん}じております' instead.
💼 + 🧠 + ❓ = {ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか

Explanation at your level:

This is a very polite way to say 'Do you know?'. Use it when talking to your teacher or a boss. It is better than 'shitte-imasu ka' in formal places. Just put the thing you want to ask about before it with the particle 'wo'.
At this level, you should start using honorifics. '{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか' is the respectful (sonkeigo) form of '{知|し}っていますか'. It is used for people you respect. Remember: never use it for yourself! Use it to ask about people, places, or facts in a polite way.
Intermediate learners should use this phrase to navigate professional environments. It demonstrates an understanding of 'Keigo' basics. You can use it with 'no wo' to ask about entire situations, like 'Did you know that the schedule changed?'. It helps maintain the correct social distance in Japanese society.
This phrase is essential for business Japanese. It functions as a respectful inquiry into the listener's awareness. You should also be aware of its negative form '{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ありません' and the even more formal '{ご存知|ごぞんじ}でしょうか'. Mastery involves knowing exactly when the neutral 'shitte-imasu ka' is too blunt.
Advanced analysis reveals '{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか' as a key component of 'Sonkeigo' (respectful language). It utilizes the honorific prefix 'go-' and the noun form of the humble verb 'zonjiru'. This 'humble-to-respectful' transformation is a sophisticated linguistic feature. It is often used in 'Keigo' clusters to establish a consistent tone of deference throughout a conversation.
At a near-native level, one appreciates the pragmatic nuances of '{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか' in high-stakes negotiations or literary contexts. It serves not only as an interrogative but as a sociolinguistic marker of the speaker's refinement. The choice between this and '{存|ぞん}じていらっしゃいますか' depends on the subtle 'relative' status of all parties present, reflecting the fluid nature of Japanese honorifics.

意思

A polite way to ask if someone is aware of a particular fact or information.

🌍

文化背景

In business, knowing what your client knows is crucial. Using this phrase shows you've done your homework and respect their time. The 'Uchi-Soto' (Inside-Outside) concept means you use this phrase for 'Soto' people (clients, strangers) to maintain a polite distance. Service staff use this to make guests feel valued. It's part of the 'refined' atmosphere of Japanese hospitality. Students are expected to use Keigo with teachers. Failing to use '{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか' can be seen as a lack of discipline.

🎯

The 'Go' Rule

If you are asking a question to someone you respect, always check if you can add 'Go' or 'O' to the noun. It's the easiest way to sound polite.

⚠️

Don't be too humble

Using '{存|ぞん}じております' for someone else is actually rude because it lowers them. Stick to '{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか'.

意思

A polite way to ask if someone is aware of a particular fact or information.

🎯

The 'Go' Rule

If you are asking a question to someone you respect, always check if you can add 'Go' or 'O' to the noun. It's the easiest way to sound polite.

⚠️

Don't be too humble

Using '{存|ぞん}じております' for someone else is actually rude because it lowers them. Stick to '{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか'.

💬

Indirectness

In Japan, asking '{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか' is often a way to introduce information you already know, just to be polite.

自我测试

Fill in the blank with the correct polite form.

{田中|たなか}さんの{電話番号|でんわばんごう}を___？

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。 正确答案： {ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか

Since you are asking someone else, you must use the respectful 'Gozonji desu ka'.

Which sentence is correct when speaking to a boss?

Choose the most appropriate sentence.

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。 正确答案： このニュースを{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか？

Option 1 is too casual. Option 3 uses a humble verb for the listener, which is a mistake.

Complete the dialogue.

A: {明日|あした}の{会議|かいぎ}の{場所|ばしょ}を___？ B: はい、{会議室|かいぎしつ}Aですね。

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。 正确答案： {ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか

In a professional context (implied by 'meeting'), 'Gozonji desu ka' is the best fit.

Match the phrase to the situation.

When would you use '{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか'?

✓ 正确！ ✗ 不太对。 正确答案： Asking a client if they know your company's history.

Clients require respectful language (Sonkeigo).

🎉 得分： /4

视觉学习工具

常见问题

5 个问题

Yes, it is the perfect phrase to use with teachers to show respect.

No! That is a major mistake. Use 'Zonjite-orimasu' for yourself.

'Shitte-imasu ka' is polite but neutral. 'Gozonji desu ka' is respectful (honorific).

Use '{存|ぞん}じません' or '{存|ぞん}じておりません'.

Yes, it works for both people ('Do you know Mr. Tanaka?') and facts ('Do you know the time?').

相关表达

🔗

{知|し}っていますか

similar

Do you know? (Neutral-polite)

🔗

{存|ぞん}じております

contrast

I know. (Humble)

🔗

{承知|しょうち}いたしました

builds on

I have understood/acknowledged.

🔗

{存|ぞん}じ上げます

specialized form

I know (a person). (Humble)

在哪里用

👔

Job Interview

Interviewer: {弊社|へいしゃ}の{理念|りねん}を{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか？

Candidate: はい、ホームページで{拝見|はいけん}いたしました。

formal
🗺️

Asking a Stranger for Help

Tourist: すみません、この{近|ちか}くに{郵便局|ゆうびんきょく}があるのを{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか？

Local: ええ、あこのカドを{右|みぎ}ですよ。

formal
🤝

Business Meeting

Manager: {佐藤|さとう}さんの{新|あたら}しいプロジェクトを{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか？

Staff: いいえ、まだ{詳|くわ}しくは{存|ぞん}じておりません。

formal
🍷

At a High-end Restaurant

Waiter: こちらのワインの{産地|さんち}を{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか？

Customer: いいえ、ぜひ{教|おし}えてください。

formal
🎓

Talking to a Professor

Student: {先生|せんせい}、この{論文|ろんぶん}を{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか？

Professor: ああ、それは{有名|ゆうめい}な{論文|ろんぶん}ですね。

formal
📞

Customer Service Call

Support: {現在|げんざい}のキャンペーンを{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか？

Customer: いいえ、どんなキャンペーンですか？

formal

Memorize It

Mnemonic

Think of 'Go' as 'Gold' (high value/respect) and 'Zonji' as 'Zone of Knowledge'. You are asking if they have a 'Gold Zone of Knowledge'.

Visual Association

Imagine a person wearing a tuxedo (the 'Go' prefix) holding a magnifying glass over a brain (the 'Zonji' knowledge). It's a very fancy way to look at someone's brain!

Rhyme

When you're in a formal show, start your 'know' with a 'Go'!

Story

You are at a royal ball. You want to ask the Queen if she knows where the tea is. You can't just say 'Shitteru?'. You bow deeply and say, 'Gozonji desu ka?'. The 'Go' is your bow, and the 'Zonji' is your question.

Word Web

{存|ぞん}じる{知|し}る{承知|しょうち}{存知|ぞんじ}{御|ご}{知識|ちしき}{存|ぞん}じております{存|ぞん}じ上げます

挑战

Try to use '{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか' in your next Japanese lesson when asking your teacher about a Japanese custom or word.

In Other Languages

English moderate

Do you happen to know? / Are you aware of?

Japanese has a dedicated grammatical category for this respect.

Spanish high

¿Conoce usted...?

Japanese is even more formal due to the 'go-' prefix.

French high

Savez-vous...? / Connaissez-vous...?

Japanese doesn't distinguish between knowing facts and people in this specific phrase.

German high

Wissen Sie...? / Kennen Sie...?

German politeness is mostly in the pronoun; Japanese is in the verb.

Chinese high

您知道吗？ (Nín zhīdào ma?)

Japanese honorifics are more complexly integrated into the verb/noun structure.

Korean high

알고 계십니까? (Algo gyesimnikka?)

The two languages are almost perfectly parallel here.

Arabic moderate

هل تعلم؟ (Hal ta'lam?)

Arabic relies more on titles (Sir, Excellency) than verb changes.

Portuguese moderate

O senhor/a senhora sabe?

Portuguese uses titles; Japanese uses a specific honorific noun-verb combo.

Easily Confused

ご存知ですか 对比 {存|ぞん}じておりますか

Learners mix up humble and respectful forms.

Remember: 'Go' is for them, 'Zon' (without Go) is for you.

ご存知ですか 对比 {知|し}りませんか

Sounds like 'Don't you know?' which can be accusatory.

Use '{ご存知|ごぞんじ}ですか' to avoid sounding like you are blaming them for not knowing.

常见问题 (5)

Yes, it is the perfect phrase to use with teachers to show respect.

No! That is a major mistake. Use 'Zonjite-orimasu' for yourself.

'Shitte-imasu ka' is polite but neutral. 'Gozonji desu ka' is respectful (honorific).

Use '{存|ぞん}じません' or '{存|ぞん}じておりません'.

Yes, it works for both people ('Do you know Mr. Tanaka?') and facts ('Do you know the time?').

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