Structure
だ → でござる
Details
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Polite
使用域
敬語
About でございます
As mentioned briefly in the ございます lesson, でございます is a structure which can be used as a replacement for であります, the polite form of である (which itself is the formal equivalent of だ). Both です and でございます are considered polite speech. However, でございます is the more polite of the two. Let's take a look at a few examples.
- 郵便局は隣でございます。The post office is next door.
- 運転手のタナカでございます。I am Tanaka, the driver.
- 拙者がハットリでござる。I am Hattori. (拙者 is a very common word that was used by samurai, and simply means 'I')
Fun Fact
Using でございます to introduce yourself is considered quite polite, however, when referring to other people, いらっしゃる 'to be' is preferred, as honorific language is more respectful than polite speech.Synonyms
Examples
この方は田中さんでございます。
This is Mr. Tanaka.
この商品は本当に便利でございます。
These goods really are convenient.
こちらが先生の机でございます。
This is the teacher's desk.
こちらは図書館でございます。
This is the library.
英語担当の浜田でございます。
(I am) head of English, Hamada.
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Genki II 1st Edition
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でございます – Grammar Discussion
Most Recent Replies (3 in total)
Sanshi
About 4 years ago
I don’t quite understand why we use でござる in the sentence:
ただいま校長先生が留守 でございます。In the dictionary we can see that 留守 goes with verbs like (に)する. Is 留守でございます some kind of fixed expression used in honorific language when we talk about our superior being somewhere else (not necessarily home)?
Yumari-1
About 2 months ago
Sorry for the classic grammar point thread necro, but…
I’m pretty sure there is nothing special about pairing 留守 with でございます. 留守 can also be used as a noun, in which case it takes a copula, and if you want a really polite version, then でございます is one way to express it, which happened in this example.
Though I welcome any correction on this one ofc.What I’m confused about is the prompt that I don’t think I’ve seen before on this point’s questions.
Why is the prompt “Kenjougo” (謙譲語)now?
IcyIceBear
About 2 months ago
Tense hints have just recently been updated. You can read about them here
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