くれる · ichidan verb (kureru class)
| Form | Positive | Negative |
|---|---|---|
| Dictionary | くれる | くれない |
| Polite | くれます | くれません |
| Past polite | くれました | くれませんでした |
| Past | くれた | くれなかった |
| Te-form | くれて | くれないで |
| Desire | くれたい | くれたくない |
| Potential | くれられるalso くれれる | くれられないalso くれれない |
| Passive | くれられる | くれられない |
| Causative | くれさせる | くれさせない |
| Causative passive | くれさせられる | くれさせられない |
| Volitional | くれよう | |
| Polite volitional | くれましょう | |
| Imperative | くれ | くれるな |
| Conditional | くれれば | くれなければ |
| Tara conditional | くれたら | くれなかったら |
ichidan verb (kureru class), transitive verb
give (to me/us); let (me/us) have
Used when someone gives something to the speaker or to someone in the speaker's in-group. The giver is the subject, and the receiver is marked by に. Implies a favor or benefit from the speaker's perspective.
My friend gave me a birthday present.
My mother made a lunch for me.
ichidan verb (kureru class), transitive verb
Often used as くれてやる, showing mild disdain or condescension toward the receiver. The giver is the speaker or someone the speaker identifies with, and the receiver is someone outside the in-group.
See also: くれてやる
I gave that guy a chance (though he didn't deserve it).
auxiliary verb, ichidan verb (kureru class)
do for me/us; kindly do
Auxiliary verb attached to the -te form of another verb. Indicates that someone does an action as a favor for the speaker or the speaker's in-group. Conveys gratitude or benefit.
The teacher taught me English (and I'm grateful).
My friend kindly took me to the station.
auxiliary verb, ichidan verb (kureru class)
do to someone's disadvantage
Auxiliary verb attached to the -te form of another verb. Indicates that someone does an action that negatively affects the speaker or the speaker's in-group. Often implies annoyance or victimhood.
He went and told everyone my secret (to my disadvantage).
My friend gave me a present for my birthday.
The teacher kindly explained it to me carefully.
Give me some water.
Could you help me out for a bit?
Come quickly, would you.
くださる is the honorific version of くれる, used when the person giving something to the speaker is of higher social status.
給う is the archaic honorific form used when a superior or revered figure gives something; くれる is the plain, everyday verb for the same act of giving to the speaker.
もらう takes the receiver as its subject (I receive), while くれる takes the giver as its subject (someone gives to me), so beginners often mix up which one to use.
暮れる (to grow dark, to end) and 呉れる (to give something to the speaker) share the same reading くれる but are completely different verbs.
くれぐれも shares the kanji 呉れ with 呉れる ('to give'), but the two are unrelated in meaning—くれぐれも is an adverb of earnestness, not a form of the verb 呉れる.
くれる (to give) and ぐれる (to go delinquent) differ only by a voicing mark on the first sound, so learners can easily misread or mispronounce one for the other.