N5 · Lesson 21
Giving and receiving
あげます ・ もらいます ・ くれます ・ に (to / from a person)
In this lesson, you will learn to say who gives what to whom: that you gave someone a present, that you got something from someone, and that someone gave something to you. Japanese picks a different verb for each direction, and you will see all three at Sakura's birthday.
By the end you will be able to say
私は ともだちに 花を あげました。I gave my friend flowers.
たんじょう日に 父から 時計を もらいました。I got a watch from my father for my birthday.
ともだちが 私に お菓子を くれました。My friend gave me some sweets.
パーティーで みんなに ケーキを あげます。I'll give everyone cake at the party.
だれに その カップを もらいましたか。Who did you get that cup from?
The grammar in this lesson
- Give: あげます — Giver は receiver に thing を あげます: someone gives something to someone else.
- Get, receive: もらいます — Receiver は giver に (or から) thing を もらいます: someone gets something from someone.
- Give to me: くれます — Giver が (私に) thing を くれます: someone gives something to you or your family.
- に: to a person, from a person — に marks the receiver with あげます and くれます, and the giver with もらいます.