The Difference Between 「おっしゃる」と「言われる」の違い｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)

(Joy listening to a VIP [Ossharu] vs. Joy listening to a senior [Iwareru])

“The President said…” In Japanese business, you cannot just say “Iimashita”. You must use Honorifics (Sonkeigo). There are two main choices: おっしゃる (Ossharu) and 言われる (Iwareru). Which one should you use? Let’s learn with Joy and Ken!

🗣 Conversation Scene

Joy is reporting to Ken about a meeting with the CEO.

Joy

社長（しゃちょう）が、「新しいプロジェクトを始める」とおっしゃいました。 (The President “said” [Honorific] that he will start a new project.)

Ken

そうですか。そういえば、田中（たなか）課長（かちょう）も同じことを言（い）われていましたよ。 (I see. Come to think of it, Manager Tanaka “was saying” [Polite] the same thing.)

💡 Explanation

Both are Honorifics (Respect language), but the “Grade” is different.

Point 1: Ossharu (おっしゃる) = Special Honorific

Level: High Respect (⭐⭐⭐) This is a special verb dedicated to showing respect. Use this for Presidents, Customers, and Teachers. ⚠️ Conjugation Alert: It is Osshaimasu (おっしゃいます), NOT Ossharimasu.

社長（しゃちょう）がおっしゃいました。 (The President said.)
先生（せんせい）のおっしゃる通（とお）りです。 (It is exactly as the teacher says.)

Point 2: Iwareru (言われる) = Passive Honorific

Level: Moderate Respect (⭐⭐) This uses the Passive Form (Reru/Rareru) to show respect. It is polite, but less formal than “Ossharu”. Use it for Senior colleagues or internal superiors. *Note: “Iwareru” can also mean “To be told” (Passive voice), so rely on context.

田中さんがそう言（い）われました。 (Mr. Tanaka said so. [Polite])

📊 Comparison Table

Word	Type	Respect Level
おっしゃる (Ossharu)	Special Verb	⭐⭐⭐ High (VIP)
言われる (Iwareru)	Passive Form	⭐⭐ Medium (Senior)
言う (Iu)	Dictionary Form	⭐ Low (Friends)

🚧 Joy’s Mistake

(Reporting what the customer said) ❌ Wrong: お客様（きゃくさま）が おっしゃりました。 (Grammar error! “Ossharu” is a Group 1 verb with irregular conjugation.) ✅ Right: お客様（きゃくさま）が おっしゃいました。 (Osshai-masu. Like “Iku -> Ikimasu” but focusing on the ‘i’ sound.)