～あげる・～くれる・～もらう: Receiving and Giving

Introduction

If you think about it, life is really all about “give and take”. You win some, you lose some. You have good days, you have bad ones. You give a little, and you take a little. The important thing is balance. Give and take, good and evil, the light side,… and the dark side. Mwhahaha… Anyway, what was I saying?

The Directions of Giving and Taking

Structure

• 

  Direct Objectをあげる・くれる・もらう
  Example:
  → りんごをあげた。
  ”I gave him an apple.”

• 

  て-form Verbあげる・くれる・もらう
  Example:
  → 書かいてもらった。
  ”I had them write it for me.”

As we cover the verbs of giving and receiving, the most important thing to remember is the direction in which each verb moves. All three of these bad boys move in one direction, and in a British-boy-band only. First, let’s give.