お・ご〜いただく・くださる

humble or respectful expression

1. Overview

"お・ご〜いただく" and "お・ご〜くださる" are honorific expressions used to distinguish between humility and respect. The former is a humble expression, emphasizing that the speaker receives an action from someone else; the latter is a respectful expression, emphasizing that someone performs an action for the speaker or others.

2. Structure

1. お・ご + Verb stem (連用形) + いただく

   • Used to express that the speaker humbly receives an action.
   • 「お」 is used with verbs related to everyday life, typically native Japanese verbs.
   • 「ご」 is used with Sino-Japanese words (often する-verbs).

2. お・ご + Verb stem (連用形) + くださる

   • Used to express that someone respectfully performs an action for the speaker or a third party.

3. Usage Explanation

1. お・ご〜いただく

   • Expresses that the speaker or their team humbly receives an action from the other party. It is often used in formal settings such as work or services.
   • Examples: 「お聞きいただく」, 「ご覧いただく」

2. お・ご〜くださる

   • Indicates that someone respectfully performs an action for the speaker or team. It is used when requesting or acknowledging that the other party has done something.
   • Examples: 「お教えくださる」, 「ご案内くださる」

4. Example Sentences

1. お・ご〜いただく

   • お話をお聞きいただき、ありがとうございます。
     (Thank you for listening to my talk.)
   • ご協力いただけますか。
     (Could I ask for your cooperation?)

2. お・ご〜くださる

   • この資料をお送りくださり、ありがとうございます。
     (Thank you for sending this document.)
   • ご指導くださる先生に感謝します。
     (I am grateful to the teacher who gives guidance.)

5. Key Points to Note

1. The choice between "お" and "ご" depends on the type of verb. Native Japanese verbs usually take 「お」, while する-verbs often take 「ご」.
2. "いただく" is humble language, meaning the speaker receives an action. "くださる" is respectful language, meaning someone provides an action.
3. Use these structures according to the context and the relationship between the speaker and the listener.

6. Similar Grammar

• ～ていただく / ～てくださる: Similar humble and respectful expressions, but the structure uses the "て-form" of the verb.
  • Examples: 「していただく」, 「してくださる」

7. Alternative Grammar

• 〜もらう / 〜くれる: More casual expressions that are less formal and polite than "いただく" or "くださる", commonly used in daily conversation.
  • Examples: 「してもらう」, 「してくれる」

8. Summary

• お・ご〜いただく: Used to humbly accept an action provided by someone else.
• お・ご〜くださる: Used to respectfully describe an action performed by someone else for the speaker or others.