auxiliary N4 essential politewritten kenjougo (humble)
いただく — receive (humble)
いただく
Meaning
- receive (humbly) — the kenjōgo form of もらう, used when you receive from someone above you
Key sentence
先生にお手紙をいただきました。
I received a letter from my teacher.
Formation
| Attaches to | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun received | N を いただく | プレゼントをいただく |
| Giver (a superior) | person に/から + N を いただく | 部長に資料をいただく |
Examples
お客様から温かいお言葉をいただいた。
I received kind words from a customer.
こちらの資料をいただいてもよろしいですか。
May I take a copy of this material?
When you can't use it
- いただく humbles the receiver, so the subject is you or your in-group — never use it for what a superior receives. To honor the giver instead, use くださる: 先生がくださった.
Easily confused with
Notes
- いただく is also the humble verb for 'eat/drink' — the mealtime いただきます literally means 'I humbly receive (this food).'
See いただく in real sentences
Jengo shows いただく the way you actually meet it: inside real Japanese sentences, so it sticks instead of staying an abstract rule.
Study it in JengoSources Compiled with reference to A Dictionary of Basic Japanese Grammar.