Introduction
In Japanese, there are different verbs for giving and receiving, depending on the direction of the transaction. The verbs あげる (ageru), くれる (kureru), and もらう (morau) are essential for expressing who gives and who receives in a clear way. This blog post will help you understand how to use these verbs correctly.
What It Means
- くれる (kureru): Used when someone gives something to you or someone close to you. The action is moving “closer” to you.
- あげる (ageru): Used when you give something to someone else, or when someone gives something to a third person. The action is moving “away” from you or stays away from you.
- もらう (morau): Used when you receive something from someone. It focuses on the recipient rather than the giver.
When You Use It
- Use くれる when the action involves giving something to you or someone close to you.
- Use あげる when you are giving something to others or when describing someone giving something to another person.
- Use もらう when you are talking about receiving something from someone else.
Examples
Here are some examples to help you understand how to use these verbs:
- くれる (kureru):
両親が（私に）車をくれるかもしれません。(Ryoushin ga (watashi ni) kuruma o kureru kamoshiremasen.)
My parents may give me a car. - あげる (ageru):
私はその女の人に花をあげます。(Watashi wa sono onna no hito ni hana o agemasu.)
I will give the woman flowers. - もらう (morau):
私は姉に/姉から自転車をもらいました。(Watashi wa ane ni/ane kara jitensha o moraimashita.)
I received a bicycle from my big sister.
You can see how くれる and もらう describe the same event but from different perspectives:
- 姉が私に自転車をくれました。(Ane ga watashi ni jitensha o kuremashita.)
My big sister gave me a bicycle. - 私は姉に自転車をもらいました。(Watashi wa ane ni jitensha o moraimashita.)
I received a bicycle from my big sister.
Conclusion
Mastering あげる (ageru), くれる (kureru), and もらう (morau) will help you clearly express giving and receiving in Japanese.
