恩Giving and favors

Doing favors

Put あげる, くれる or もらう after a て form, and an action becomes a favor. Japanese marks this much more often than English.

All lessons

Same event

Whose side are you on?

友(とも)だちが荷物(にもつ)を運(はこ)んでくれました。Tomodachi ga nimotsu o hakonde kuremashita.

A friend carried my luggage for me.

The favor comes toward me.

友(とも)だちに荷物(にもつ)を運(はこ)んでもらいました。Tomodachi ni nimotsu o hakonde moraimashita.

I had a friend carry my luggage.

I received the favor.

In use

Favors in everyday sentences

母(はは)がお弁当(べんとう)を作(つく)ってくれました。Haha ga obentou o tsukutte kuremashita.

My mother made me a lunch.

田中(たなか)さんが英語(えいご)を教(おし)えてくれます。Tanaka-san ga eigo o oshiete kuremasu.

Tanaka teaches me English.

Without くれる, a sentence wouldn't convey you're thankful.

友(とも)だちに写真(しゃしん)を撮(と)ってもらいました。Tomodachi ni shashin o totte moraimashita.

I got a friend to take a picture for me.

弟(おとうと)に宿題(しゅくだい)を見(み)てあげました。Otouto ni shukudai o mite agemashita.

I helped my younger brother with his homework.

Use with care: it can sound condescending.

Who takes に?

~てあげる with people and places

泣(な)いている子(こ)を慰(なぐさ)めてあげました。Naiteiru ko o nagusamete agemashita.

I comforted the crying child.

The person helped is already the object, so there's no に as well.

おじいさんのために畑(はたけ)で働(はたら)きました。Ojiisan no tameni hatake de hatarakimashita.

I worked in the fields for my grandfather.

With a verb that has no object, に doesn't work with あげる. Use のために.

Down the ladder

~てやる

~てやる is ~てあげる for someone below you or very close to you. Like あげる, it never points toward you or your side: 私に教えてあげた doesn't work, so use ~てくれた.

犬(いぬ)に肉(にく)を焼(や)いてやりました。Inu ni niku o yaite yarimashita.

I grilled some meat for the dog.

息子(むすこ)に自転車(じてんしゃ)を直(なお)してやりました。Musuko ni jitensha o naoshite yarimashita.

I fixed my son's bike for him.

親友(しんゆう)に車(くるま)を貸(か)してやりました。Shinyuu ni kuruma o kashite yarimashita.

I lent my car to my best friend.

It also fits someone your own level whom you're close to.

With status

Say it politely

Avoid ~てさしあげる to someone's face, since it highlights that you're doing them a favor. Just use a humble form instead.

PlainPolite
~てくれる~てくださる
~てもらう~ていただく
~てあげる~てさしあげる

Asking

Polite requests

先生(せんせい)が説明(せつめい)してくださいました。Sensei ga setsumei shite kudasaimashita.

The teacher explained it for me.

窓(まど)を開(あ)けていただけませんか。Mado o akete itadakemasenka.

Could I ask you to open the window?

A very polite request.

手伝(てつだ)ってもらえますか。Tetsudatte moraemasu ka.

Could you help me?

Tricky points

Particles and whose benefit

The giver with ~てもらう must take に, not から. If the verb already has a person as its object, you drop the extra word: 友だちが私を手伝ってくれた. With a verb that has no object, use のために: 友だちが私のために歌ってくれた, “My friend sang for me.”

Check yourself

Who did the favor?

兄(あに)が車(くるま)を直(なお)してくれました。Ani ga kuruma o naoshite kuremashita.

Your turn

に or が?

母(はは)＿＿手伝(てつだ)ってもらいました。Haha tetsudatte moraimashita.

I had my mother help me.

With ~てあげる

に, を or のために?

友(とも)だち＿＿辞書(じしょ)を貸(か)してあげました。Tomodachi jisho o kashite agemashita.

I lent my friend a dictionary.

Say it yourself

Moving day

You moved apartments. Your friend carried your boxes. You got your brother to drive. Thank them to a neighbor.

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Giving and gettingNext: What others want and feel

Builds on

Helpful to know first

Giving and gettingあげる, くれる and もらうThe て formJoin verbs and descriptions, and build many other patterns