How to Show Respect in English | Words + Actions

This week’s lesson is all about how to show respect in English. 🤝 and the words and actions that help us to be respectful.

It’s a question I get asked often because many other languages have a respect ‘built in’ through the pronouns used to address people in everyday interactions. In English, this is less common… So what can you do to be respectful when communicating with your elders or superiors?

Well, there are DEFINITELY ways to do it! And that’s what I want to share in this lesson. I’ll cover:

1. greeting people respectfully
2. addressing people respectfully
3. important & respectful phrases that you should use
4. the actions you should and shouldn't do to show respect

You’ll see that there are easy, achievable ways to show respect in English, and be able to put them into practice right away!

✍️ I'm also curious to hear from you… How do you show respect in your native language?
What are the similarities and differences between showing respect in your native language and in English?

Enjoy the lesson!

Emma x

Read the full transcript of this lesson on my blog here:

---------- TIMESTAMPS ----------
0:30 Introduction
02:45 Greet Respectfully
03:52 Addressing Someone With Respect
07:00 Respectful Phrases
08:45 Actions that show respect

#mmmEnglish #HowToShowRespectInEnglish #PoliteEnglish #EnglishTips #EnglishPractice #HeyLady #HeyLadyCommunity #EnglishWithEmma

---------- Mentioned in this video ----------

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[saadiasabouri]

In Morocco when we've born our parents teach us to show respect to someone older than we by saying my father or my mother + his first name or my uncle or my aunt for example salam or good morning my father Mohammed or salam my father lhaj or lhajja ( if she or he done El haj) .... there's a lot of ways to show respect here in Morocco ❤

[mmmEnglish_Emma]

I have a task for you in this week's lesson 😀 I'd love to learn more about your language and culture - and it would be awesome if you could share it with the mmmEnglish community. So tell us in the comments:

1. How do you show respect in your native language or culture?
2. Do you greet or address people differently, based on their age or status?
3. What actions are seen as disrespectful?

[zakiamashhdi]

I find your lessons very useful. I am an urdu speaking woman from North India. My language has many ways of showing respect to elders or people who are strangers, with whom you are not free or informal. Using first name is a no no but there is not a profusion of please and thank you. It makes so many kinds to make this world :))

[rie]

Hi, Emma! In Japanese, there are 3 different forms to show respect. We use “polite language” when you talk with senior people or people you are not familiar with. Also, we have even politer forms called “honorific language” and “humble language “. As for polite form, we change the end of the sentence. Also, it is super common in the workplace to address bosses as their titles, like “Tanaka Bucho”(= General Manager Tanaka) or simply “Bucho”(= General Manager). Quite different from English, don’t you think?

[jean-yveslegall]

Hello Emma, in French there are two different pronounces to tell "you" to someone. We use "tu" when you are familiar with the person you are talking with. "vous" is the plural of "tu" talking with many people, but we also use "vous" when you talk with an important person or someone you meet for the first time to show respect. Many thanks for your work once again Emma 🤩

[francescab]

Thanks Emma🤩. In Italy we use respect by using words like " signore/signora " with their surname. " grazie and per piacere" are other respectful words, which unfortunately are taken for granted😁

[stevenyosef]

Thank u Emma❤️❤️❤️....I've learnt more from this
In South India, we respect older women as mothers, in casual way we call them "Amma" ; similar we call older men "Appa".
In Formal atmosphere, we address older woman "madam", older men "sir"

[marialourdesreyes]

We Filipinos "po" and "opo" are always associated with us when we speak with our elders or to someone we want to show our respect. We also call our elder brother as "kuya" and elder sister as "ate".

[owsbvcf]

I adore your lessons! U’re so beautiful! In Russia we show respect in the same way as in UK but we use pronoun YOU in plural (вы)for older people, for our boss, when we speak with strangers etc.and when we use formal language. When we chat with our friends, parents etc. we use YOU in singularity (ТЫ).

[clauoliveira]

Thank you so much Emma for your class.

[vallikadevi]

hello, Emma! I am from India(Andhra Pradesh)
we respect elder people with words as well as actions, we use different suffixes while addressing elders. we greet with Namaskaram.

[anarghakk]

Showing respect is the most important thing in communication. In our native language we use different words for 'you'. Some words are respectful and some are important. And we also use auntie or uncle to those who are elder than us.
from this lesson I get new ideas on how to show respect in English
Thank you Emma. Can i adress you like this😁

[marlynrosatejeda]

I couldn’t agree thanks I watched the video and yes absolutely useful!!, excellent I am one of those people who want to be respect doesn’t who that person is (child, young, old people) they deserve to be respected because the way you treat them reflect the way you want to be treated

[Sofiaccadori]

Amazing 😍
In Portuguese, we speak Senhor (Mr), Senhora(Mrs) to be polite. We trying to be punctual, but…
Take care!

[villanjunjie]

Hi Teacher Emma! Another great content from you! Here in the Philippines we also address respecting other people by calling our boss Sir or Ma'am, 'Kuya'(Brother) in our eldest male peers, acquaintances, and friends while 'Ate'(Sister) in female. As part of our culture, we say 'Po' and 'Opo' in every situation to show respect to other people we are talking to. We also greet other professional persons like doctors, teachers, engineers, etc. according to their status. On the other hand, we show respect to our uncle and aunt by calling them 'Tito' and 'Tita'. We also performed the "pagmamano", or an "honoring gesture" in Filipino culture as a sign of respect for our elders and a way of requesting a blessing from our elders, especially in our grandparents. Not practicing using 'Po' and 'Opo' while talking is disrespectful for us because it tells that the person doesn't have good manners.

[satya.m]

Thanks, Emma 💖
In Indian English, we usually address everyone as "sir/madam" to show respect. Mostly at schools and public places...

[ihsanulhaq]

Hi, Emma! I'm glad to say that Urdu is one of the sweetest language in the world and it defines the politeness, respect and calmness by their own. It has specific pronouns to show respect, such a broad language it is like in English we just only use "You" but in Urdu we can use 4 words to use for different ages people. "Ap" is the most respect word for you and other words are "tum, tu, tujhe"

[sofianemagid]

Thank you Emma . you are really a very good teacher 😊☺️

[marzi]

Great video and clear explanation as usual! Here in Germany, there are two forms of "you", just like in French. "Sie" is more formal, "du" is informal/for close family or friends. It's a bit of a minefield for us English-speakers who live here, and leads to silly German sentences like "Sie können mich dutzen" (you can say you to me)!

Welcome back after short break Emma and thanks for new lesson :)