差し上げる

To Give (Humble)

Level 3Sounds Like sashiageru

差し上げる（さしあげる） is the humble (Kenjōgo) version of あげる (to give). It is used when you give an object or perform a favor for someone you respect, such as a teacher, a client, or a senior colleague.

How It Works

差し上げる（さしあげる） is the humble form (specifically Kenjōgo I) of あげる. As a Kenjōgo I verb, its primary function is to show respect by lowering the speaker's status specifically toward the recipient of the action. Crucially, the subject (the giver) must always be the speaker or an in-group member. Do not confuse this with くださる, which is used when a superior gives something to you.

1. As a Main Verb:
Structure: [Recipient] に [Object] を 差し上げる
Example: 先生（せんせい）にプレゼントを差し上げました。(I gave a present to the teacher.)
Note: Unlike あげる, this cannot be used for non-human recipients like pets or plants.

2. As an Auxiliary Verb:
Structure: て-form + 差し上げる
Example: 案内（あんない）して差し上げる (To guide someone)
Note: In formal writing and business etiquette, when used as an auxiliary verb, it is recommended to write it in hiragana (〜てさしあげる), whereas kanji is standard when used as the main verb.

3. With Verbal Nouns (Transferring Actions):
You will often see 差し上げる used with verbal nouns that involve transferring something to the recipient (like 連絡 or 報告), structured as ご/お + Noun + 差し上げる (e.g., ご連絡差し上げる). Note that 差し上げる here acts as a main verb, not an auxiliary. For offering general actions, the primary humble construction is お/ご〜する or いたす.

4. The Uchi-Soto (In-group/Out-group) Rule:
Because 差し上げる elevates the recipient, it is the correct word to use when an in-group member does something for an out-group member. For example, when speaking to a client about your boss, you should use 差し上げる to describe your boss giving something to the client.

5. Social Nuance and Caution:
Using 〜て差し上げる for a favor can sound patronizing when spoken directly to the person receiving the favor. Furthermore, using the main verb directly to a superior can also sound pushy or unnatural (e.g., saying 「先生、プレゼントを差し上げます」 directly to the teacher). It is safest when talking about giving something to a third party or in impersonal business announcements. When giving something directly to a superior, native speakers often use phrases focused on the recipient's acceptance, such as 「どうぞ（お受け取りください）」. In modern business Japanese, it is often safer to use いたす or お/ご〜する to offer help directly. For example, instead of 'teaching' someone (教えて差し上げる), it is better to say 'I will explain' (ご説明いたします). However, 〜て差し上げる is perfectly acceptable when talking to a third party (e.g., telling a colleague to do something for a client).

Examples (5)

  1. お客様に新しいパンフレットを差し上げます。

    I will give the new brochure to the customer.

    Word by Word: Customer to new brochure (object) give (humble).

    Here, 差し上げる is used as a main verb to show respect to an お客様（おきゃくさま）.

  2. 先生に手紙を差し上げました。

    I gave a letter to the teacher.

    Word by Word: Teacher to letter (object) gave (humble).

    A standard use of the humble form when the recipient is a teacher.

  3. お客様を駅まで車で送って差し上げてください。

    Please give the client a ride to the station.

    Word by Word: Client (object) station until car by send and give (humble) please.

    Using the て-form with 差し上げる is perfectly natural when speaking to a third party (like a subordinate) about doing a favor for someone you both respect (the client).

  4. 後ほどお電話を差し上げます。

    I will give you a call later.

    Word by Word: Later phone (object) give (humble).

    A very common business set phrase where 差し上げる is used to politely describe the act of calling a client or superior.

  5. 部長に記念品を差し上げたいと思います。

    I would like to give a commemorative gift to the department manager.

    Word by Word: Department manager to commemorative gift (object) want to give (humble) that think.

    Combining the humble form with たい (want to) to express a respectful intention.

Common Mistakes

  • Using 差し上げる when a superior gives something to you.

    先生が私に本を差し上げました。
    先生が私に本をくださいました。

    差し上げる is humble (Kenjōgo), meaning the speaker is the giver. When a superior gives to you, you must use the respectful (Sonkeigo) verb くださる.

  • Using it for favors that sound patronizing or linguistically unnatural.

    部長に日本語を教えて差し上げます。
    部長に日本語をご説明いたします。

    The phrase 教えて差し上げる（おしえてさしあげる） is unnatural because 'teaching' inherently places the speaker in a superior position, which clashes with the humble verb. For superiors, use a humble 'do' form like いたす with a more neutral verb.

  • Using 差し上げる when an in-group member gives something to you.

    部長が私に資料を差し上げました。
    部長が私に資料をくださいました。

    差し上げる elevates the recipient. While it is correct to use 差し上げる when your boss gives something to a client (elevating the client), it is incorrect to use it when your boss gives something to you. For a superior giving to you, use くださる.

How It Connects

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差し上げるLevel 3To Give (Humble)

Learn This First

差し上げる is the humble (kenjougo) form of the verb あげる. To use it correctly, you must first understand the basic 'giving' verb あげる and the particle 'に' used for recipients. Additionally, since it is a humble expression, a general understanding of Japanese honorifics (Keigo) is necessary to know when it is appropriate to use this form to show respect to the receiver.

Words in This Pattern

差し上げる