1.
we; us (humble)
A humble first-person plural pronoun used to refer to oneself and one's group, typically in business or formal settings when speaking to customers, superiors, or outsiders.
私共にお任せください。
Please leave it to us.
私共の会社では、品質を大切にしております。
At our company, we value quality.
私共の不手際でご迷惑をおかけし、誠に申し訳ございません。
We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by our error.
A humble (謙譲語) first-person plural pronoun. The ども suffix is a humble pluralizer that lowers the speaker's status relative to the listener. Very common in business Japanese.
FORMATION:
私 (I) + 共 (humble plural suffix). The suffix ども can also attach to other words, but 私共 is by far the most common combination.
USAGE:
Used when representing one's company, organization, or family to outsiders. Appropriate in formal correspondence, customer service, and business meetings. Not used in casual conversation.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- 私たち: neutral "we" — standard and appropriate in most situations
- 我々: "we" — formal and assertive, used in speeches and official statements
- 弊社: "our company" (humble) — specifically for one's own company, while 私共 can refer to any in-group
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 私共の店: our shop (humble)
- 私共の製品: our products (humble)
- 私共としましては: from our standpoint (humble)