いらっしゃる is another of the common 尊敬語(そんけいご) (honorific speech) expressions in Japanese. This means that it elevates the status of another person, in order to pay them respect. It will never be used when referring to the speaker themselves, or their own actions.
いらっしゃる can be used to replace
居(い)る ‘to be’,
来(く)る ‘to come’, or 行(い)く ‘to go’. This is due to the unique perspective that 尊敬語(そんけいご) places the speaker in, in relation to the person that is being respected. This is a slightly advanced concept that we will discuss more later.
To use
いらっしゃる, simply replace
いる,
くる, or いく with
いらっしゃる.
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あなたの隣(となり)にいらっしゃるのはお嫁(よめ)さんですか。
Is the person next to you your wife?
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あと30分(ぷん)で社長(しゃちょう)がいらっしゃるので準備(じゅんび)をしてください
。
The CEO is coming in 30 minutes, so please get ready.
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先輩(せんぱい)は明日(あした)の忘年会(ぼうねんかい)にはいらっしゃいますか?
Senpai, are you coming to the end-of-year party tomorrow?
Alternatively,
いらっしゃる may also be used to replace
いる,
くる, or いく when they are attached to the
て-form of another verb.
-
田中様(たなかさま)が来(き)ていらっしゃたので案内(あんない)をお願(ねが)いします。
Mr. Tanaka is here, so please see to his needs.
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マユミさんはタクシーに乗(の)っていらっしゃるのでもうすぐ着(つ)きます。
Mayumi-san is coming by taxi, so she will be here soon.
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今日(きょう)は歩(ある)いていらっしゃいそうです。
It appears as though he will come by foot.
おいでになる is another expression which can replace
いる,
くる, or いく. This was briefly examined previously in our
お~になる grammar point. おいでになる and
いらっしゃる are almost completely interchangable.
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社長(しゃちょう)は忘年会(ぼうねんかい)においでになると聞(き)きました。
I heard that the CEO will be at the end of year party.
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社長(しゃちょう)は忘年会(ぼうねんかい)にいらっしゃると聞(き)きました。
I heard that the CEO will be at the end of year party.