Grammar

Japanese Giving & Receiving: あげる vs もらう vs くれる

授N5–N3

Japanese has three main verbs for giving and receiving, each encoding the direction of the exchange relative to the speaker. Choosing the wrong one is a very common mistake even at intermediate level.

The three core verbs

あげる: I/someone gives to another (away from speaker). もらう: I/someone receives (towards speaker). くれる: someone gives to me/my group (towards speaker, but subject is not the speaker).

友達にプレゼントをあげた。ともだちにプレゼントをあげた。I gave my friend a present.

友達からプレゼントをもらった。ともだちからプレゼントをもらった。I received a present from my friend.

友達がプレゼントをくれた。ともだちがプレゼントをくれた。My friend gave me a present.

Common mistakes

Wrong

Using あげる when someone gives to you

Right

Use くれる when the giver is someone else giving TO you

あげる = giver is speaker (or 3rd party giving away from speaker's perspective). くれる = giver is 3rd party, receiver is speaker or speaker's in-group.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between くれる and もらう in Japanese?

Both involve something coming towards the speaker. くれる focuses on the giver: "my friend gave me". もらう focuses on the receiver: "I received from my friend". Both sentences describe the same event from different perspectives.