Meaning
いらっしゃいます is the honorific form of いる, used to describe someone else's state or ongoing action politely. Form it by adding いらっしゃいます after a verb's て-form. This pattern is commonly used when talking about superiors, elders, or customers to show respect and politeness.
Formation
| Part of speech | Formation |
|---|---|
| 動詞（て形） | 動詞て形 + いらっしゃいます |
Examples
-
お元気で いらっしゃいますか。
How are you? (polite greeting to someone older or of higher status) -
社長は 日本酒を 飲んで いらっしゃいます。
The company president is drinking Japanese sake. -
チケットを 持って いらっしゃいますか。 見せていただけますか。
Do you have a ticket? Could you show it to me?
Summary
- いらっしゃいます is the respectful version of ている, used for other people's states or actions
- Form: verb て-form + いらっしゃいます (e.g., 飲んでいらっしゃいます)
- Commonly used in greetings like お元気でいらっしゃいますか when addressing superiors or elderly people