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JAPANESE VERB

たまわる

賜る

to receive, in the most formal humble style

  • Godan verb (u-verb)

Conjugation

Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.

Present and future

now, habits, and what is to come

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI receive
NegativeI don’t receive

Past

finished actions

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI received
NegativeI didn’t receive

Te-form

て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests

Form Polite Plain
て-formreceiving, and…
Doing now (て います)I am receiving
Please (て ください)please receive

Potential

可能形 · “can”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI can receive
NegativeI can’t receive

Want to

たい形 · “want to”

Form Polite Plain
AffirmativeI want to receive
NegativeI don’t want to receive

Volitional

意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”

Form Polite Plain
Let’slet’s receive

Conditional

条件形 · “if” and “when”

  1. If (ば) if I receive
  2. If, when (たら) if I receive

Commands and requests

命令形 · from gentle to blunt

  1. Do it (なさい) receive (do it)
  2. Plain command receive!
  3. Please don’t please don’t receive

Passive and causative

受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”

Form Polite Plain
PassiveI am received
CausativeI make someone receive

How to use たまわる

One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.

  1. Present and future

    みなさま から、 あたたかい おことば を たまわります。

    We receive warm words from all of you.

  2. Past

    しゃちょう より、 おいわい の おことば を たまわりました。

    We received words of congratulation from the president.

  3. Te-form

    ながねん、 ごあいこ を たまわって おります。

    We have enjoyed your patronage for many years.

  4. Potential

    この よう な しょう を たまわれる と は、 おもいません でした。

    I never thought I could receive an award like this.

  5. Want to

    ぜひ ごしゅっせき たまわりたく、 おねがい もうしあげます。

    We would very much like to have you attend.

  6. Volitional

    ごいけん を たまわろう と、 おてがみ を さしあげました。

    Hoping to receive your opinion, I sent you a letter.

  7. Conditional

    ごれんらく を たまわれば、 すぐ に おうかがい します。

    If you contact us, we'll come at once.

  8. Commands and requests

    しゃちょう の おことば を、 ありがたく たまわりなさい。

    Receive the president's words with gratitude.

  9. Passive and causative

    ごしょうたい を たまわり、 しゃちょう も たいへん よろこんで おられます。

    Having received your invitation, the president too is delighted.

Good to know

  • たまわる is いただく at its most formal, heard in speeches, letters and shop announcements: ごらいてん たまわり、 ありがとう ございます. It can also mean a superior graciously giving, but the humble use is the one you'll meet.
  • ご + noun + たまわりたく おねがい もうしあげます is the written way to ask: ごしゅっせき たまわりたく.
  • たまわります, たまわりました and たまわりたく are the forms you'll hear; the other tables show the pattern.

Where you hear たまわる

The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.

Japanese · Fluency Level 3

  • おきゃくさま から、 おてがみ を たまわります。 We receive a letter from a guest.
  • しゃちょう から、 おことば を たまわりました。 We received a few words from the president.
  • あした、 ごしゅっせき を たまわります。 Tomorrow we will be honoured with your attendance.
7
The invitation, read aloud

Fluency Level 3 · ごしゅっせき たまわりたく、 おねがい もうしあげます。

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Verbs like this one

The same pattern, on other verbs: godan verb (u-verb).