Ageru, Kureru, and Morau: Giving and Receiving

Giving and receiving verbs encode viewpoint as well as transfer. あげる looks from the giver toward another person; くれる presents giving toward the speaker or the speaker’s side; もらう looks from the receiver. Track the people before choosing the verb.

Formation and use

私は友だちに本をあげました makes 私 the giver and 友だち the recipient. The object is marked with を. Do not reverse に and は without changing who does what.

友だちが私に本をくれました describes a friend giving to the speaker. くれる can also orient toward someone on the speaker’s side, depending on context. The first drills keep the recipient explicitly 私.

Comparisons and common errors

私は友だちに本をもらいました describes the same transfer from the receiver’s viewpoint. から can mark the source as well. The subject of もらう is the receiver, not the giver.

Use appropriate respectful or humble alternatives when the relationship requires them. This lesson covers basic item transfer, not the additional favour meanings of てあげる・てくれる・てもらう.

Practise with explanations

Try the 10 questions below, or open the practice set. Check each answer or the whole set, read the explanation, and retry mistakes. First-attempt results are kept separately on this device.

Connected lessons

• ni particle
• The Particle Wo
• Plain and Polite Japanese: Forms, Tense, and Context