Video
Let’s watch this short video for a quick overview.
Source: gokigen japanese official YouTube Channel
Introduction
You already know you can humble your own actions with お + verb-stem + します.
But three everyday actions—receiving, giving, and visiting / asking—have special humble verbs that replace the basic ones:
- もらう → いただく
- あげる → さしあげる
- 行く・聞く → うかがう
Using these verbs shows polished kenjougo (humble language) toward someone of higher status. Let’s see how and when to use them.
1. Special Humble Verbs at a Glance
| Normal verb | Meaning | Special humble verb | Example (polite) | English |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| もらう | to receive | いただく | 先生から本をいただきました。 | I received a book from my teacher. |
| あげる | to give | さしあげる | 社長に花をさしあげます。 | I will give flowers to the president. |
| 行く / 聞く | to go / to ask | うかがう | 先輩に意見をうかがいます。 | I will ask a senior for their opinion. |
When to use
- いただく: You receive from a superior or outsider.
- さしあげる: You give to a superior or outsider.
- うかがう: You humbly visit someone (go) or ask a question of someone higher.
If you are not sure of the normal giving/receiving verbs (あげる, もらう), review this article: How to Use Ageru and Morau in Japanese | Express Giving and Receiving.
2. Conjugation Quick-Guide
| Verb | Present polite | Negative polite | Past polite | Past Negative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| いただく | いただきます | いただきません | いただきました | いただきませんでした |
| さしあげる | さしあげます | さしあげません | さしあげました | さしあげませんでした |
| うかがう | うかがいます | うかがいません | うかがいました | うかがいませんでした |
Tip: These verbs then behave like regular う/る verbs once you learn their base form.
3. Example Sentences
お客様から紅茶をいただきました。
I received some tea from a customer.
先生にプレゼントをさしあげました。
I gave my teacher a present.
先輩、来週ご自宅へうかがってもよろしいでしょうか。
Seniors (Senpai), may I visit your home next week?
4. Practice Drill
Rewrite each plain sentence using the correct special humble verb.
| Plain cue | Humble answer | English |
|---|---|---|
| 先生に本をもらいました。 | 先生に本をいただきました。 | I received a book from my teacher. |
| 部長にプレゼントをあげます。 | 部長にプレゼントをさしあげます。 | I will give a present to the department manager. |
| 明日、課長のオフィスに行きます。 | 明日、課長のオフィスにうかがいます。 | I will visit the section chief’s office tomorrow. |
| 先輩にアドバイスを聞きました。 | 先輩にアドバイスをうかがいました。 | I asked my senior for advice. |
| 社長からワインをもらいました。 | 社長からワインをいただきました。 | The president gave me a bottle of wine. |
5. Common Mistakes
| Wrong | Why it’s wrong | ✅ Fix |
|---|---|---|
| 社長からプレゼントをもらいました。 | もらう is neutral; humble yourself with いただく. | 社長からプレゼントをいただきました。 |
| 先生に花をあげました。 | あげる is neutral; use さしあげる. | 先生に花をさしあげました。 |
| 明日ご自宅に行きます。 | 行く is plain; switch to うかがう. | 明日ご自宅にうかがいます。 |
6. FAQ
- QCan I stack お-stem + します with いただく?
- A
No. One humble layer is enough. Use either the special verb (いただく / さしあげる / うかがう) or the お-stem + します pattern, but not both.
- QIs いただく always humble? What about mealtime いただきます?
- A
When said before a meal, いただきます has become a fixed greeting and isn’t treated as humble grammar. In sentences (先生に～いただきました) it remains humble.
- QWhat’s the difference between いただく as a humble verb and 〜ていただく as a favor-receiving expression?
- A
When いただく is used on its own, it directly replaces もらう (to receive) in a humble context (e.g., 先生から本をいただきました – “I humbly received a book from my teacher”). When いただく is preceded by a verb in the 〜て form (〜ていただく), it creates a humble expression meaning “to have someone do X for me” or “to receive the favor of X-ing.” The core humble meaning of いただく is consistent in both uses.
- QCan I use 差し上げる for inanimate objects as the giver, like “The machine gives out tickets”?
- A
No, 差し上げる is exclusively used when the giver is a human (or an in-group entity like a company) and the act of giving is directed towards a superior. It is used to humble the human giver’s action. For inanimate objects giving something out, you would use neutral verbs like 出す (dasu – to put out/issue) or 提供する (teikyō suru – to provide).
- QWhich is more polite: 差し上げる or お渡しします?
- A
Both are correct humble ways to say “I will give/hand over (something).” 差し上げる: This is a special humble verb for あげる. It inherently carries a very high degree of humility. お渡しします: This uses the general humble pattern お + verb stem + する. It is also very polite and commonly used, especially in business.
While both are highly respectful, 差し上げる is often considered to convey a slightly higher, more intrinsic level of humble respect due to being a dedicated humble verb. However, お渡しします is perfectly acceptable and widely used in most formal situations.
- QCan I use these special humble verbs when talking about my family or colleagues to an outsider?
- A
Yes, absolutely! Just like with other humble expressions, these special humble verbs are used when talking about the actions of your “inner circle” (family, colleagues, or even your boss) to an “outsider” (a client, customer, or someone of higher status outside your group). This maintains the uchi-soto (inside-outside) social dynamic and shows respect to the outsider.
Example: 私の娘が先生から賞状をいただきました。 (Watashi no musume ga sensei kara shōjō o itadakimashita.) – “My daughter humbly received an award certificate from the teacher.” (Said to another teacher)
Conclusion
With いただく, さしあげる, and うかがう you can:
- ✅ Show humility when receiving, giving, or visiting/asking superiors
- ✅ Conjugate them for tense and negativity like regular verbs
- ✅ Avoid mixing them with neutral verbs that may sound rude
Pick three real interactions you had this week and rewrite them using today’s special humble verbs—your Japanese will sound immediately more professional!
Want to improve your Japanese with real conversations?
Our native Japanese instructors at gokigen japanese can help you perfect your pronunciation and learn real-life usage.
Whether you’re completely new to Japanese or looking to refine your skills, book a one-on-one session.
