Meaning
いただく and くださる politely describe receiving from a superior or a superior's favor; やる gives downward to a junior, animal, or plant.
Formation
- いただく is the humble もらう: お土産をいただきました
- くださる is the honorific くれる; its polite form is くださいます
- With an action: て form + いただく / くださる: 教えていただきました
When to use it
- Core use
- Marks social status when giving or receiving a benefit
Example
私は社長にお土産をいただきました
I received a souvenir from the company president.
Important notes
- Pay attention to the word form before the construction and to the particles around it.
Common mistakes
- Do not translate the pattern word for word; first identify its function in the whole situation.