Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 41

Learn Minna no Nihongo Grammar – Lesson 41
Let’s study N5-level Japanese grammar, lesson by lesson, following the Minna no Nihongo textbook.

In lessons 7 and 24 we studied giving and receiving things or actions using the 3 verbs「あげます、もらいます、くれます」 .

In this lesson we study further giving-and-receiving expressions that reflect the senior–junior relationship (status, age), the in-group/out-group relationship and how close the giver and receiver are (including the feelings involved).

* In-group (ウチ) – out-group （ソト）

1. The grammar pattern ～に Ｎを いただきます.

(Expressing receiving something from someone, like 「もらいます」 but humble on the speaker’s part)

Meaning: (I) receive something (from someone)

Usage: 「いただきます」 is the humble form used in place of「もらいます」 to show the receiver’s modesty towards the giver, when the speaker receives something from someone older or of higher status (except family members), someone they are not close to, or when they want to show respect to the giver.

Note: the subject of this verb is always 「わたし」 (I)

Examples:

わたしは 社 長に とけいを いただきます。
I received a watch from the company president.

わたしは 先生に プレゼントを いただきました。
I received a present from my teacher.

わたしは 父に お金を いただきます。 => WRONG
I receive money from my father.

In this case, although 父 (father) is older and senior, he is family (ウチの人), so いただきます is not used; もらいます is used instead.

わたしは 父に お金を もらいます。 => Correct
I receive money from my father.

2. The grammar pattern ～は（が）Ｎを くださいます.

(Expressing someone giving you something, like 「くれます」 but more respectful)

Meaning: (someone) gives me something

Usage: 「くださいます」 is the honorific form used in place of「くれます」 to show the receiver’s respect when the giver is older or of higher status (except family members), or someone they are not close to..

Note:
– The subject of this verb is always second or third person, never 「わたし」(I)

– The dictionary form of 「くださいます」 is「くださる」 , and the -TE form is「くださって」

Examples:

社 長は わたしに とけいを くださいます。
The company president gave me a watch.

先生は わたしに ボールペンを くださいます。
The teacher gave me a ballpoint pen.

母は わたしに 花を くださいます。 => WRONG
My mother gives me flowers.

In this case, although 母 (mother) is older and senior, she is family (ウチの人), so くださいます is not used; くれます is used instead.

母は わたしに 花を くれます。 => CORRECT
My mother gives me flowers.

Note:「くださいます」and 「くれます」 are also used when the receiver is a family member or someone in the speaker’s “in-group”.

部長は 妹に おみやげを くださいました。
The department manager gave my younger sister a present.

3. The grammar pattern ～に Ｎを やります.

(Expressing giving someone something, like 「あげます」 but only for younger siblings, children, animals and plants )

Meaning: (I) give someone something

Usage: 「やります」 is used in place of「あげます」 when the receiver is of lower status or younger (a younger brother or sister, one’s own children), or an animal or plant …

Examples:
わたしは 弟に さいふを やります。
I give my younger brother a wallet.

わたしは 猫に さかなを やります。
I give the cat fish

わたしは 花に 水を やります。
I water the flowers.

Note:
For the same act of giving, when the speaker wants to show respect to a receiver of higher status or age, 「さしあげます」 is used

わたしは 社長に ネクタイ を さしあげます。
I gave the company president a tie.

4. Giving and receiving grammar in Japanese

Like あげます、もらいます、 くれます , the verbs いただきます、 くださいます and やります also combine with the -TE form to express giving or receiving an action, with the nuances explained above.

4.1. ~に ~を V て いただきます (saying that someone did something for you )

Meaning:: to have something done for you by someone

Usage:: – also expresses the gratitude of the person helped, but more politely and humbly than ~てもらいます。

– The subject of the sentence is always 「わたし」(I)

Examples:
私は 鈴木さんに 日本語を 教えて いただきました。
Ms Suzuki taught me Japanese.

私は 中村さんに 本社へ 連れて 行って いただきました。
Mr Nakamura took me to the company head office

4.2. ~は(が) ~を V て くださいます (saying that someone does something for you)

Meaning:: someone does something for me

Usage:: – Like ~ていただきます, it also expresses the gratitude of the person helped.

– Unlike ~ていただきます, where the subject is the receiver, in ~てくださいます the subject is the person doing the action.

Examples:
部長の奥さんは( 私に)日本料理を 作って くださいました。
The department manager’s wife cooked Japanese food (for me).

会社の人は( 私に)この機械の使い方を 教えてく ださいました。
Someone at the company showed me how to use this machine.

4.3. ~に ~を V て やります (saying that you do something for someone)

Meaning:: to do something (for someone)

Usage:: expresses goodwill or kindness in doing something for someone (only for younger siblings, one’s own children, or animals and plants) daughter

Examples:
私は 娘に おもちゃを 買ってやりました。
I buy toys for my daughter.

私は おとうとに 誕生日のパーティーを 準備して やりました。
I arranged a birthday party for my younger brother.

わたしは 犬を 散歩に 連れて 行って やります。
I take the dog for a walk.

Note: – As explained for 「V てあげます」in lesson 24, using「V てさしあげます」 to say you do something for a superior can sound imposing and unnatural. So this expression is usually avoided; instead the humble forms studied in lesson 50 are used.

Example 1:
わたしは 社長に 写真を 見せて (さし) あげました。 => DO NOT USE
I showed the company president the photos.

わたしは 社長に 写真を お見しました。 => USE THIS

– In questions:

Example 2:
お子さんに どんな おみやげを 買ってあげますか。
What present are you going to buy for your child?

…とけいか ラジカセを 買ってやりたいです。
I want to buy them a watch or a radio-cassette player.

Here 「お子さん」(someone else’s child) is used, so the person asking must also use the polite form
「~V てあげますか」and not 「~V てやりますか」。

4.4. ~V ていただけませんか。(a polite way of asking someone to do something for you )

Meaning: Could you please do ~ for me?

Usage: This is the most polite way of making a request to someone older, of higher status or someone you do not know; it is more polite than V てくださいませんか。.

Note: It is 「~ていただけませんか」 and not 「~ていただきませんか。」

Examples:

すみませんが、もう一度 説明して いただけませんか。
Excuse me, could you explain it once more for me?

手紙の 書き方が 分からないんですが、ちょっと教えて いただけませんか。
I do not know how to write the letter; could you show me?

A summary of request expressions, from least to most polite.