あげる・
English has one "give". Japanese has two, chosen by direction: あげる for a gift going out from you, くれる for one coming in to you. もらう is "get".
in, as "I got"
I received a photograph from Tanaka.
あげる: give
giver は + receiver に + thing を + あげる
From you, or between other people. Not to you.
くれる: give me
giver は／が + (me に) + thing を + くれる
"To me", 私に, is usually left out.
もらう: get
receiver は + giver に／から + thing を + もらう
Here に means "from".
The idea
All three are about things given to keep: a present, a souvenir, something you no longer need. Each sentence is told from where you stand. See which way the thing travels, and the verb follows.
From you to someone else
あげる: "I gave".
I gave the child next door a picture book.
From someone else to you
くれる: "they gave me". The sentence starts from the giver.
My friend gave me an umbrella.
The same direction, told from your end
もらう: "I got". The sentence starts from you.
I received a birthday card from a friend.
Between two other people
あげる, or もらう if you start from the one who gets it.
My older brother gave his friend an old bicycle.
あげる or くれる?
Both mean "give", and in both the giver is the subject. The difference is where the gift ends up. English speakers reach for あげる every time, and it is not what you say when someone gives to you.
I gave Tanaka some chocolate.
Out from you.
Tanaka gave me some chocolate.
In to you.
Not said: 田中さんは
(Tanaka gave me some chocolate.)
Told from where you stand, あげる is never someone else's gift to you.
Not said: 私は
(I gave Tanaka some chocolate.)
And くれる never goes out from you.
My friend gave me a ticket.
No 私に. くれる already says "to me".
くれる or もらう?
One gift, two ways to tell it. With くれる you start from the giver. With もらう you start from yourself.
My older sister gave me a watch.
The giver is the subject.
I got a watch from my older sister.
You are the subject, left unsaid. The giver takes に.
With もらう, に means "from", not "to". から can replace it. From a bank, a company or a school it is usually から.
I got a letter from the school.
もらう is "get" only when someone gives you the thing. If you got a new bag by buying it, that is 買いました.
Your family is on your side
A gift from outside to your mother or your little brother is coming your way too, so it takes くれる.
Sato gave my mother a souvenir from the trip.
My colleague gave my younger brother a concert ticket.
From your family to someone outside it, the gift is going out: あげる.
My mother gave Sato some sweets.
Things people say
What did you get for your birthday?
May I have this?
For something on offer: a leaflet, a free sample.
That's a nice bag.
Thank you. I got it from my mother.
To someone above you
Said to a teacher's or a boss's face, あげます sounds as if you are handing down a favor. People hold the thing out and say どうぞ.
Sounds odd: 先生、
Teacher, I'll give you this.
People say 先生、これ、どうぞ.
Close neighbours
てくれるN4
After a て-form, the same three verbs are about favors, not things. てくれる: someone did it for you.
My friend took me to the station.
The same directions with respect built in: くださる and いただく when the giver is above you, 差し上げる when the receiver is. やる is for food to a pet or water to a plant.
My teacher gave me a dictionary.
Check yourself
1Which one fits?
山田さんが
Choose an answer to see why.
2What does this mean?
父に
Choose an answer to see why.
More detail
When you are the giver
もらう isn't used with yourself as the giver. "Tanaka got a book from me" is told from your side: 私は田中さんに本をあげました.
Not said: 田中さんは
(Tanaka got a book from me.)
Asking about someone's gift
When you ask the person in front of you, くれる works for a gift that came to them.
Who gave you that?
ください
ください comes from くださる, the respectful くれる. 水をください is "give me water", said politely.
More sentences
My younger sister received a red bag from our grandmother.
I gave my younger brother an old camera.
My friend gave me a souvenir.