How to tell them apart
The difference is viewpoint relative to the speaker. あげる takes the giver as subject for giving outward to others, never to the speaker, as in 私が彼に本をあげた. くれる also takes the giver as subject but for giving to the speaker or the speaker's circle, as in 彼が私に本をくれた, and もらう takes the receiver as subject for receiving, as in 私が彼に本をもらった. The same contrast holds for actions with te forms, where てあげる is doing for others, てくれる is doing for the speaker, and てもらう is having someone do for you.
- あげる Use あげる to describe giving something to another person or doing something for them when the receiver is not the speaker or speaker's circle.
- 呉れる・くれる Use くれる to describe someone giving something to the speaker or speaker's circle, or doing something for the speaker's benefit.
- もらう Use もらう to describe getting something from someone or having someone do something for you, with the receiver as the subject.
| Grammar point | Meaning | JLPT level |
|---|---|---|
| あげる ageru | To hand over or present something to another person | N5 |
| 呉れる・くれる reru kureru | to hand or do something for the speaker's benefit | N4 |
| もらう morau | Get something from someone; have a person do something for you | N4 |
あげる ageru
To hand over or present something to another person
あげる means to give something to another person, with the giver as the subject. It is used in the pattern recipient に thing を あげる, as in 友だちにプレゼントをあげる. あげる is a regular ru verb, so it conjugates as あげない, あげます, and あげた. It is normally used when the speaker or someone in the speaker's group gives outward to others, not when receiving from a superior.
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出来ることなら、あなたに月をあげるのだけど。
I would give you the moon if I could.
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あげたお金で足りた？
Was the money I gave you enough?
呉れる・くれる reru kureru
to hand or do something for the speaker's benefit
くれる describes someone giving something to the speaker or to someone close to the speaker, like family, or doing a favor for them. It follows a noun with を, as in プレゼントをくれる, or a te-form verb, as in 教えてくれる. The giver is marked with が or は, and the receiver often takes に. It always points toward the speaker side, so it cannot describe the speaker giving something to another person.
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時間を教えてくれないか。
Can you tell me the time?
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母は私に新しいドレスを買ってくれた。
My mother bought me a new dress.
もらう morau
Get something from someone; have a person do something for you
もらう expresses receiving a thing or a favor from the speaker's point of view. For objects, use giver に or から plus object を plus もらう, as in 花をもらう. For favors, use the て form plus もらう, as in 教えてもらう, and もらいたい or もらえませんか to request help politely. The giver is marked with に or から, never with the receiver as に when asking for a favor for yourself.
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新しいスーツを仕立ててもらわなければならない。
I must get a new suit made.
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だれにこの花をもらったんですか。
Who did you receive this flower from?
あげる and 呉れる・くれる and もらう are JLPT N5–N4 grammar points that Japanese learners often mix up. This page compares all 3 side by side on meanings, usage and example sentences, so you can tell them apart.