Do ちょうだい、ごらん、ください、おいで constitute an own class of part of speech?


They are all used after the Te-Form of Japanese verbs similar to subsidiary
verbs, but they seem to differ from subsidiary verbs. What is their true
nature?




**No, they do not constitute their own class of part of speech**. It is true,
however, that they can function in such an "exceptional" way that it makes
them look as though they constituted one of their own.

> 「ちょうだい」 is a **noun** by name (頂戴 in kanji), meaning "the **humble** act of
> receiving something".

**Usage as a straight-up noun:**

「おいしいハムを頂戴しました。」 = "I have (humbly) received some tasty ham."

**Subsidiary verb-like usage:**

Though it is a noun, 「ちょうだい」 can be attached to the [連用形]{れんようけい} of a verb to
express roughly what the word "please" does in English. This would usually be
more like a friendly request than an "imperative".

「たまには[電話]{でんわ}してちょうだい。」 = "Please call me once in a while."

**Verb-like usage:**

「ちょうだい」 can also function like a verb on its own without a "real" verb right
in front of it. When used this way, it can only mean "Give me ~~".

「それ（を）ちょうだい。」 = "Gimme that!"

> 「ごらん」 is also a **noun** by category as one could tell from the honorific
> 「ご」 -- 「ご[覧]{らん}」 -- meaning "(your highly respectable) act of seeing". It
> is an honorific (respectful) form of 「[見]{み}ること」.

**Usage as a straight-up noun:**

「ご覧のとおりです。」 = "It's just as you can see."

**Subsidiary verb-like usage as the shortened form of 「ごらんなさい」:**

「[来]{き}てごらん。[手品]{てじな}をみせてあげる。」 = "Come over here; I'll show you a magic
trick."

**Verb-like usage:**

「ごらん！」 = "Take a look!"

> 「ください」 is both a **verb** and a **subsidiary verb**.

**As a verb:**

As a verb, it is the imperative form of 「[下]{くだ}さる」. 「下さる」 is the honorific
form of 「[与]{あた}える」 and 「くれる」, both of which mean "to give".

「ビッグマックをふたつ下さい。」 = "Please give me two Big Macs."

「これがスミスさんの下さった[時計]{とけい}です。」 = "This is the clock that Mr. Smith has given me."

**As a subsidiary verb:**

Attach it directly to the 連用形 of a verb and you will have a '(Verb), please!'
structure. Careful writers will write ください for this usage in kana: It is the
official rule, too.

「3[時頃]{じごろ}に[来]{き}てください。」 = "Please come around 3 o'clock."

「ボクと[結婚]{けっこん}してください。」 = "Please marry me!"

> 「おいで」 is probably the most complicated of the four words but I will make my
> explanation as concise as possible. It is both a **noun** and a **compound
> word**. Notice the honorific 「お」 once again.

**As a noun:**

おいで is a respectful word for "coming", "going" and "staying". I told you it
was complicated.

「田中さんがおいでです。」 = "Mr. Tanaka is here." (He has just arrived.)

「どちらへおいでですか。」 = "Where might you be going?"

**As a compound:**

Forms an **honorific** phrase (again, for coming, going and staying) when
followed by 「になる」、「くださる」, etc.

「[来週]{らいしゅう}おいでくださいますか。」 = "Would you please come next week?"

「いつも[夜]{よる}はご[自宅]{じたく}においでになりますか。」 = "Are you usually at home at night time?"

**Quasi-verb-like usage (for a lack of word):**

「ここへおいで。」 = "Come over here."

「[雨]{あめ}が[止]{や}むまでここにおいで。」 = "Why dontcha stay here until the rain lets up."

**Subsidiary verb-like usage**

Attached to a real verb, おいで can function like a subsidiary verb to form a
friendly and honorific request.

「もうお[店]{みせ}も[閉]{し}まってるから、うちでご[飯]{はん}を[食]{た}べておいで。」

= "Since stores should be closed by now, please eat dinner with us here
(before you go home)."

