What is the correct usage of 承知しました, 了解です and かしこまりました, the more formal forms of 分かる?


At work, it is wrong to simply say 分かる to say that you understand something.
In what situation should I opt to use one of the previously mentioned forms?




かしこまりました is by far the most formal, and is a humble form (謙遜語). It says that
you are inferior to the listener. Most specifically this should be used to
interface with customers (hence why wait staff at a restaurant may say it).

承知しました is polite (〜します), but not humble. It is also appropriate to use with
customers or superiors.

了解です is also polite in form, and is not humble, but has a certain curt feeling
to it (this could be from its usage by the armed services as "Roger").
Informally friends and family often say/text 了解 (without the です) in a context
where they want to say "Yep, got it".

The difference between the latter 2 is nuance, I suppose. Both seem to
translate as "I acknowledge and understand". My gut feeling having worked in a
Japanese office is that 了解です, while polite, isn't formal enough for customers.
承知 is better for customers or superiors.




かしこまりました is by far the most formal, and is a humble form (謙遜語). It says that
you are inferior to the listener. Most specifically this should be used to
interface with customers (hence why wait staff at a restaurant may say it).

承知しました is polite (〜します), but not humble. It is also appropriate to use with
customers or superiors.

了解です is also polite in form, and is not humble, but has a certain curt feeling
to it (this could be from its usage by the armed services as "Roger").
Informally friends and family often say/text 了解 (without the です) in a context
where they want to say "Yep, got it".

The difference between the latter 2 is nuance, I suppose. Both seem to
translate as "I acknowledge and understand". My gut feeling having worked in a
Japanese office is that 了解です, while polite, isn't formal enough for customers.
承知 is better for customers or superiors.

