Give, get, lend, help

Stage 2General verbsChunk 11 of 28 · items 160–164 of 484

The giving triad, where direction picks the verb: away from me (ageru), toward me (kureru), I receive (morau) — plus lending (kasu) and helping (tetsudau), the favours that ride on it.

Mix-ups

ageru and kureru both translate 'give' but point opposite ways — anything coming to me or my side is kureru; morau makes the receiver the subject and marks the giver with ni; kashite means 'lend me' (the other person lends), while borrowing from your side is kariru (karite ii?); tetsudau is help with a task, the cry for help is tasukete.

ageru

polite agemasudrama rank #668

give (outward)

あげるPlay あげますPlay

Giving from me or my side to someone else (X ni ageru), and kore ageru means 'here, you can have this'.

casualPlay

kore tomodachi ni ageru.

I'm giving this to a friend.

これ友達にあげる。

politePlay

kore wa tomodachi ni agemasu.

I'm giving this to a friend.

これは友達にあげます。

Offering to a superior with ageru can sound condescending.

Learn alongside: kureru, morau, -te kureru, -te morau, -te ageru

kureru

polite kuremasudrama rank #565

give (to me/us)

くれるPlay くれますPlay

Someone giving to me or my in-group, with the giver marked by ga and the recipient (me) usually left unsaid.

casualPlay

kore tomodachi ga kureta.

A friend gave me this.

これ友達がくれた。

politePlay

kore wa tomodachi ga kuremashita.

A friend gave me this.

これは友達がくれました。

Things given to you are never ageta: tomodachi ga kureta.

Learn alongside: ageru, morau, -te kureru, -te morau, -te ageruLearn first: ageru

morau

polite moraimasudrama rank #313

receive; get

もらうPlay もらいますPlay

Receiving something, with me as the subject and the giver marked by ni or kara (X ni moratta).

casualPlay

kore tomodachi ni moratta.

I got this from a friend.

これ友達にもらった。

politePlay

kore wa tomodachi ni moraimashita.

I got this from a friend.

これは友達にもらいました。

moratta and kureta describe the same event from two angles.

Learn alongside: ageru, kureru, -te kureru, -te morau, -te ageruLearn first: kureru

tetsudau

polite tetsudaimasudrama rank #508

help (with a task)

手伝う てつだうPlay 手伝いますPlay

Helps someone with a task, with the person or the task marked by o; later forms build on it: nanka tetsudaou ka? offers help and tetsudatte kureru? asks for it.

casualPlay

ashita no hikkoshi, tetsudau yo.

I'll help you move tomorrow.

明日の引っ越し、手伝うよ。

politePlay

ashita no hikkoshi, tetsudaimasu yo.

I'll help you move tomorrow.

明日の引っ越し、手伝いますよ。

tasukete! is the cry for help; tetsudatte is for a hand with a task.

kasu

polite kashimasudrama rank #658

lend; let use

貸す かすPlay 貸しますPlay

Lends something, with the borrower marked by ni; kashite (lend me) is the everyday way to ask to borrow or use a pen, a charger or a shop's bathroom.

casualPlay

chotto pen kashite.

Can I borrow a pen for a sec?

ちょっとペン貸して。

politePlay

sumimasen, pen kashite kudasai.

Excuse me, could I borrow a pen?

すみません、ペン貸してください。

kashite is learned here as a chunk; the -te request itself comes in "Asking someone". Borrowing is kariru (ichidan): karite ii? = can I borrow it?, karita = borrowed.