Welcome to Level 2, Lesson 4!
In Japanese communication, understanding who gives what to whom—be it an object or a favor—is crucial for clear and polite interaction. Lesson 4 at gokigen japanese blog dives deep into the essential Japanese giving and receiving verbs and their applications, allowing you to express these nuances accurately.
The main theme of this lesson is to master the expressions for giving and receiving objects and services (favors).
Key grammar patterns and expressions you will master in this lesson include:
- Basic Giving & Receiving Verbs (あげる / くれる / もらう): Learn the fundamental verbs for transactions: あげる (ageru – to give, generally from oneself/in-group to others or between out-group members), くれる (kureru – to give, to oneself/in-group from others), and もらう (morau – to receive). You’ll understand the crucial directional differences and perspectives of these verbs.
- Giving/Receiving Favors (~てあげる / ~てくれる / ~てもらう): Extend your understanding by combining the て-form of verbs with あげる, くれる, and もらう. This allows you to express the giving or receiving of the favor of an action (e.g., 友達に本を読んであげる – I’ll read a book for my friend; 彼が私に日本語を教えてくれた – He taught me Japanese; 先生に説明してもらった – I had the teacher explain it to me).
- Thanking for a Favor (~てくれてありがとう): Learn how to express gratitude specifically for an action someone performed for your benefit using V-て + くれてありがとう (te kurete arigatou) (e.g., 誕生日パーティーに来てくれてありがとう – Thank you for coming to my birthday party).
- Apologizing for an Action (~てすみませんでした): Understand how to apologize for an action you performed, using V-て + すみませんでした (te sumimasen deshita) (e.g., 連絡が遅れてすみませんでした – I’m sorry for my late reply).
By the end of Lesson 4, Level 2, you’ll be able to precisely describe who gives or receives objects and actions in various contexts, and accurately express thanks or apologies for actions involving others. These patterns are indispensable for polite, natural, and nuanced Japanese communication!
Explore the articles linked below to master Japanese giving and receiving verbs and expressions of gratitude and apology!
