Sentences in A4 and A5 have the same meanings in the section 41 in Minna no Nihongo. This is because those sentences need to be understood through comparisons between the sentence constructions for “Itadaku” and “Kudasaru”. Therefore, let us also compare the sentence constructions;
(1) Sentence using “Itadaku/Itadakimasu”
1) Watashi wa Sensei ni Kenkyuu-Shitsu no Naka o Misete Itadaki mashita.
(I was shown by the teacher the inside of the research room.)
(2) Sentence using “Kudasaru/Kudasaimasu”
2) Sensei ga Watashi ni Kenkyuu-Shitsu no Naka o Misete Kudasai mashita.
(The teacher showed me the inside of the research room.)
The meanings of the sentences 1) and 2) are the same. “Sensei” is the giver and “Watashi” is the receiver of the action that is showing the inside of research room. This difference of the subjects comes from whether the verb for honorific expression is an honorific or a humble language.
In the sentence 1), “Itadaku/Itadakimasu” is a humble language related to “Morau/Moraimasu”. Since “Watashi” is the person to be humble”, the subject of the sentence 1) is “Watashi”. In the sentence 2), “Kudasaru/Kudasaimasu” is an honorific related to “Kureru/Kuremasu”. Since “Sensei” is the person to be honored, the subject of the sentene 2) is “Sensei”.
The particle “-ni” in the sentences 1) and 2) have different functions. In the sentence 1), “-ni” of “Sensei ni” functions to indicate the source of the action in a sentence of giving/receiving. In the sentence 2), “-ni” of “Watashi ni” functions to indicate the target of an action’s effect. This “Watashi ni” is omitted in the exercise A5 of the section 41 in Minna no Nihongo. The reason of omitting would be avoiding confusions about particles for “Watashi” as you can see in the following 2’ and 3’.
Yesterday’s sentences 2 and 3 with “Itadaki mashita” can be revised to use “Kudasai mashita” as follows;
2’. Sensei ga Watashi o Gakkai ni Tsurete itte Kudasai mashita.
(The teacher took me to the academic conference.)
You may find that it is not “Watashi ni” but “Watashi o” in this sentence 2’. Think that particles in the core verb phrase are maintained. The core verb phrase is;
– Watashi o Gakkai ni Tsurete iku (To take me to an academic conference)
Substituting this phrase into “Sensei ga — Kudasai mashita.” then we get the sentence 2’.
3’. Sensei ga Watashi no Supi’ichi Contesuto no Genkou o Naoshite Kudasai mashita.
(The teacher corrected my draft for speech contest.)
Again, the particle attached to “Watashi” is not “-ni”. This time it’s “Watashi no”. The core verb phrase is “Watashi no Supi’ichi Contesuto no Genkou o Naosu”. So, “Watashi no” is maintained in the sentence 3’.
As you see in the sentences 2’ and 3’, it is difficult for the learners to choose a particle after “Watashi” properly. It is safe to say it is a wise decision of writers of Minna no Nihongo to omit “Watashi” in the sentences of “Kudasai mashita”. Let me show you sentences of today, omitting “Watashi”.
1. Sensei ga Kenkyuu-Shitsu no Naka o Misete Kudasai mashita.
(The teacher showed me the inside of the research room.)
2. Sensei ga Gakkai ni Tsurete itte Kudasai mashita.
(The teacher took me to the academic conference.)
3. Sensei ga Supi’ichi Contesuto no Genkou o Naoshite Kudasai mashita.
(The teacher corrected my draft for speech contest.)
Today, we have learned the verb “Kudasaru/Kudasaimasu”. This verb needs attention about its euphonic change. Think about a two-verb sentence like below;
– Gohan o Tsukutte, Tabe mashita. (I cooked my supper, and ate it.)
This is a sentence of the beginner’s level. In the intermediate level, there is a little different sentence for the same meaning.
– Gohan o Tsukuri, Tabe mashita. (I cooked my supper and ate it.)
I usually call “Tsukuri” as “Masu-form without ‘masu’”. But as for “Kudasaru/Kudasaimasu”, “Masu-form without ‘masu’” doesn’t work well. When there is a sentence with a “-te/de,” connection;
– Sensei ga Genkou o Naoshite Kudasatte, Watashi wa Contesuto de Yuushou Shi masita.
(The teacher corrected my draft, and I got the first prize in the contest.)
I am not sure whether or not teacher’s help constitutes misconduct, but anyway, you cannot change Te-form “Kudasatte” to be “Masu-form without ‘masu’” in this sentence.
(WRONG) Sensei ga Genkou o Naoshite <Kudasai>, Watashi wa Contesuto de Yuushou Shi masita.
(RIGHT) Sensei ga Genkou o Naoshite <Kudasari>, Watashi wa Contesuto de Yuushou Shi masita.
The verb “Kudasaru/Kudasaimasu” is of Group1-R.
– Nai-form : Kudasa<ra>nai
– Masu-form : Kudasa<ri>masu => Kudasa(i)masu (euphonic change)
– Dictionary form : Kudasa<ru>
– Conditional form : Kudasa<re>ba
– Volitional form : Kudasa<ro>u
Since we can see <ra,ri,ru,re,ro> in the conjugation pattern, “Kudasaru/Kudasaimasu” is a verb of Group1-R. But for its masu-form, it is usually “Kudasaimasu”. It is still okay to say “Kudasarimasu”, but it sounds a little old-fashioned. And as the example above shows, “Sensei ga Genkou o Naoshite <Kudasai>, Watashi wa —” is completely wrong. It should be <Kudasari> as the “Masu-form without ‘masu’” of the original Group1-R verb.
There are some Group1-R verbs whose Masu-form is mostly “-imasu” rather than “-rimasu”
– Kudasaru/Kudasaimasu (honorific of “give”)
– Irassharu/Irasshaimasu (honorific of “be there”)
– Ossharu/Osshaimasu (honorific of “say”)
– Nasaru/Nasaimasu (honorific of “do”)
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This post was written with reference to the exercise A5 on Section41 of “Minna no Nihongo (2nd Edition)” published by “3A Corporation”
