Grammar JLPT Level N4 - Lesson 21

As mentioned briefly in the ございます lesson, でございます is a structure which can be used as a replacement for であります, the polite form of である (which itself is the formal equivalent of だ). Both です and でございます are considered polite speech. However, でございます is the more polite of the two. Let's take a look at a few examples.

• 郵便局(ゆうびんきょく)は隣(となり)でございます。
  The post office is next door.
• 運転手(うんてんしゅ)のタナカでございます。
  I am Tanaka, the driver.

でござる may also be seen, as it is the base form of で + ございます a (special-class) verb. However, in modern Japanese, this is primarily restricted to historical dramas, or characters that have a somewhat 'quirky' personality.

• 拙者(せっしゃ)がハットリでござる。
  I am Hattori. (拙者(せっしゃ) is a very common word that was used by samurai, and simply means 'I')