How to Use あげます・もらいます・くれます

A simple guide to giving and receiving in Japanese

In Japanese, there are different verbs for “give” and “receive.” The verb you use depends on who is the main person.

In this lesson, we will look at three basic verbs: あげます・もらいます・くれます.

Use あげます when you give something to someone.

You are the main person.

📌 Example:

私は Aさんにチョコレートをあげます。
(Watashi wa A-san ni chokoreeto o agemasu.)
→ I give chocolate to A.

Structure:
A (giver) は B (receiver) に thing をあげます

Use もらいます when you receive something from someone.

You are the main person.

📌 Example:

私は Aさんからチョコレートをもらいます。
(Watashi wa A-san kara chokoreeto o moraimasu.)
→ I receive chocolate from A.

Structure:
A (receiver) は B (giver) から thing をもらいます

Use くれます when someone gives something to you (or your in-group).

The other person is the main subject.

📌 Example:

Aさんは私にチョコレートをくれます。
(A-san wa watashi ni chokoreeto o kuremasu.)
→ A gives me chocolate.

Structure:
A (giver) は B (you) に thing をくれます

The key is to focus on who is the main person in the sentence.

If you are the subject, use あげます or もらいます.
If someone else gives something to you, use くれます.

This is a short excerpt from Beginner 2 Lesson 6, where we learn about giving and receiving in Japanese.