～ども

Today’s Grammar Point: ～ども

I talked about ～とも yesterday but if you add てんてん/濁点（〝）, ～ども changes the nuance completely.

～ども is like ～たち that makes a noun into plural but ～ども sounds very rough and somewhat derogatory. For that reason, ～ども can be used for our own group as a humble expression. I don’t recommend using ～ども for other people/things unless you are very sure that your usage doesn’t sound offensive in the situation.

The kanji for that is also 共 but in this meaning, we often write it in Hiragana.

When it means “all ～”

• [noun] + ども

Examples of humble use

私わたしどもはケーキ屋やを営いとなんでいます。
We humbly run a cake shop.

私わたしどもの街まちへようこそ。
Welcome to our city.

手前てまえどもの店みせでは、曳ひきたてのコーヒーをお楽たのしみいただけます。
You can enjoy freshly ground coffee in our humble shop.

Examples of rough use

野郎やろうどもをやっつけた。
I/we defeated the guys.

悪党あくとうどもに負まけてたまるか。
The villains can’t beat us!

ガキどもに食くわせるやる。
I’ll feed the kids.

あんな偽善者ぎぜんしゃどもの話はなしなど聞きくな。
Don’t listen to those hypocrites.

近頃ちかごろの若者わかものどもはなっていない。
Youths these days have lots to be desired.

野良犬のらいぬどもを捕つかまえろ。
Catch the stray dogs.

男おとこどもには任まかせておけない。
I can’t leave it to the men.

Although 子こども is often used for “one child” these days and it is generally accepted but ども in 子こども is the same word and it was originally a derogatory term for “children.” So it is recommended to call other people’s child お子こさん (or お子こ様さま).

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