Giving and Receiving: あげる・くれる・もらう
Track giving and receiving correctly by learning how viewpoint changes between あげる, くれる, and もらう.
あげる and くれる depend on viewpoint
あげる is used from the giver’s side toward someone else. くれる is used when someone gives something to the speaker or the speaker’s side. The object is the same, but the viewpoint changes.
わたしは妹にノートをあげた。
I gave my younger sister a notebook.
The speaker is the giver, so あげた is natural.
母がわたしにかばんをくれた。
My mother gave me a bag.
Because the gift comes to the speaker, くれた is used.
先生は田中さんに本をあげた。
The teacher gave Tanaka a book.
This sentence is still from the giver’s side, even though the speaker is not the giver.
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