下くださる

く

だ

さ

る

下さる · godan verb (-aru, special)

Form	Positive	Negative
Dictionary	下くださる	下くださらない
Polite	下くださいます	下くださいません
Past polite	下くださいました	下くださいませんでした
Past	下くださった	下くださらなかった
Te-form	下くださって	下くださらないで
Desire	下くださりたい	下くださりたくない
Volitional	下くださろう
Polite volitional	下くださいましょう
Imperative	下ください	下くださるな
Conditional	下くだされば	下くださらなければ
Tara conditional	下くださったら	下くださらなかったら

Meanings

godan verb (-aru, special), transitive verb

give; confer; bestow

honorific or respectful (sonkeigo)usually written using kana alone

Honorific verb used when someone of higher status gives something to the speaker or the speaker's in-group. The giver is marked with が or は, and the recipient with に.

先せん生せいが推すい薦せん状じょうを下くださいました。
The teacher kindly gave me a letter of recommendation.
社しゃ長ちょうは私わたしに記き念ねん品ひんを下くださった。
The company president bestowed a commemorative gift on me.

godan verb (-aru, special), transitive verb

do something for me/us; kindly do

honorific or respectful (sonkeigo)usually written using kana alone

Honorific auxiliary use: follows the て-form of a verb to indicate that someone of higher status does the action for the speaker or the speaker's in-group. Often translated as 'kindly do' or 'do me the favor of'.

部ぶ長ちょうが資し料りょうを送おくって下くださいました。
The department manager kindly sent the documents for me.
お医い者しゃ様さまが丁てい寧ねいに説せつ明めいして下くださった。
The doctor kindly explained it to me in detail.

See all 19 example sentences ›

Usage patterns

〈人ひと〉が〈物もの〉を下くださるsomeone of higher status gives (me/us) something
先せん生せいが卒そつ業ぎょうのお祝いわいに時計とけいを下くださった。
My teacher gave me a watch to celebrate my graduation.
〈動どう詞し〉て下くださるsomeone of higher status kindly does something for me/us
部ぶ長ちょうが丁てい寧ねいに仕し事ごとのやり方かたを教おしえてくださった。
My department head kindly took the time to teach me how to do the job.
ご〈動どう詞し〉下くださるused with the honorific ご- prefix and a verbal noun for a superior kindly doing something
お客きゃく様さまがご来らい店てんくださいました。
The customer was kind enough to visit our store.
〈動どう詞し〉てくださいませんかa polite request asking someone to kindly do something
もう一いち度ど説せつ明めいしてくださいませんか。
Could you kindly explain that one more time?

Grammar

差さし上あげる・やる・いただく・くださるgive, get (in polite speech); give (to a pet or plant)N4

Kanji

下below, down, descend

Related words

賜たまわるN1sense 1
賜る is an even more formal, almost archaic verb for receiving something from someone of very high status, whereas 下さる is the everyday honorific used for teachers, superiors, and customers.
給たまうN1
くださる is the modern standard honorific verb for 'give'; 給う is a much more formal, archaic literary equivalent rarely used in everyday speech.

Politeness

くれるplainN5sense 1
くれる is the plain, neutral verb for 'give (to me)', while 下さる is its honorific form used when the giver is of higher status.

Don't confuse with

頂いただくN4sense 1
いただく is the humble verb describing the speaker's own act of receiving, while 下さる describes the superior's act of giving, so learners often mix up which side each verb marks.
くださいN5
くださる is the plain honorific verb meaning 'to give (to me)', while ください is its special imperative form used to make a polite request, so learners must remember to switch to ください (not くださる) when actually asking for something.
差さし上あげるN4
差し上げる is used when the speaker gives something up to a respected person, whereas くださる is used when that respected person gives something to the speaker—learners often mix up the direction.

Written forms

下くださるUsage25%
Standard kanji spelling, though It is usually written in kana.
くださるUsage75%
Kana spelling is very common and recommended for learners; the kanji form is still seen in formal writing.

Etymology

Derived from the verb 下す (くだす, 'to lower, to give down') with the honorific auxiliary る, indicating a respectful downward giving action. The historical derivation is well-established.