で御座(ござ)いますTo be, Polite copula

Structure

だ￫ でござる

Details

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.

でござる may also be seen, as it is the base form of で + ございます a (special-class) verb. However, in modern Japanese, this is primarily restricted to historical dramas, or characters that have a somewhat 'quirky' personality.

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.

Examples

--:--

この方(かた)は田中(たなか)さんで御座(ござ)います。

This is Mr. Tanaka.

こちらが先生(せんせい)の机(つくえ)で御座(ござ)います。

This is the teacher's desk.

こちらは図書館(としょかん)で御座(ござ)います。

This is the library.

英語(えいご)担当(たんとう)の浜田(はまだ)で御座(ござ)います。

(I am) head of English, Hamada.

本日(ほんじつ)のスペシャルはホットケーキで御座(ござ)います。

Today's special is pancakes.

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でございます – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (6 in total)

Pushindawood
to be (humble)
Structure
- です → でございます
[humble です]

View on Bunpro
Sanshi
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
Sorry for the classic grammar point thread necro, but…

Sanshi:

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

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
Tense hints have just recently been updated. You can read about them here

Update - Tense Hints January/25/2024 Bunpro

...
BoxerDanc
Still can’t tell the difference between ございます and でございます. I understand でございます is more polite but when I need to fill in I just shoot for 50/50. Maybe if we need to answer でございます it should say “copula” in the hints?
distantflower
One of my last lesson notes from Genki 2 and probably from Tokini Andy is that ございます/ござる is an Extra Modest Expression from ある, meanwhile でございます/でござる is from です.

If I’ve got this note wrong somehow, someone please correct me as I’d love my notes to be fixed
BoxerDanc
Cool thanks, it appears I can’t read!