- Introduction
- Ageru: From You, Outward
- The Arrow Direction
- The Particles
- Examples
- Important Rule
- Morau: The Receiver's Perspective
- The Arrow Direction
- Particles: "ni" and "kara"
- Examples
- Ageru vs Morau: Same Situation, Different Perspective
- Kureru: From Someone Else, Towards You (The Most Important One!)
- The Arrow Direction
- Why "Ageru" Is Wrong
- What Does "My Side" (Jibun-gawa) Mean?
- Examples
- Comparing the Three Arrows
- Morau vs Kureru
- Practice Exercises
- Problem 1
- Problem 2
- Problem 3
- 🎓 Want to Practice More?
Introduction
Imagine you're at a birthday party. A friend gives you a present. You want to say it in Japanese. But... which verb do you use? "Ageru"? "Morau"? "Kureru"?
All three can talk about giving and receiving. But their usage is different.
"Maria-san wa boku ni purezento o agemashita." — That sounds strange, right? Maria gave you a present, but you used "agemashita." Today, you'll understand why that's wrong.
The keyword is "the direction of the arrow." If you remember these arrows, you'll master all three verbs.
Ageru: From you, outward Morau: The receiver's perspective Kureru: From someone else, towards you (the most important one!) Comparing the three arrows Practice exercises
Ageru: From You, Outward
The Arrow Direction
Ageru = Me → Someone else (outward-pointing arrow)
You are the subject, and you give something to someone.
The Particles
- 「に」(ni) = the person you give to (recipient)
- 「を」(wo) = the thing being given (object)
Examples
Boku wa Maria-san ni chokorēto o agemashita. (I gave chocolate to Maria.) Me → Maria. Outward-pointing arrow.
Tarō-kun wa okāsan ni hana o agemashita. (Tarō gave flowers to his mother.) Tarō → Mother. Outward-pointing arrow.
Tomodachi ni tanjōbi kādo o agemashita. (I gave a birthday card to my friend.) Saying "boku wa" (I) is optional — it can be omitted.
Important Rule
- "Ageru" is only used when the subject is moving outward
- The subject doesn't have to be "me" — anyone can use it, as long as the arrow points outward
- When the arrow comes towards you, you cannot use "ageru"
Morau: The Receiver's Perspective
The Arrow Direction
Morau = Someone else → Me (I am the one receiving)
When you receive something, you use "morau."
Particles: "ni" and "kara"
- From a person → 「に」(ni) (or "kara" is also acceptable)
- From an organization/place → 「から」(kara) (more natural)
Examples
Boku wa Kenji-san ni purezento o moraimashita. (I received a present from Kenji.) Kenji → Me. I am receiving.
Rūkasu-san wa otōsan kara okodzukai o moraimashita. (Lucas received pocket money from his father.) Using "kara" for the giver.
Kaisha kara shō o moraimashita. (I received an award from the company.) The company is an organization → "kara."
Ageru vs Morau: Same Situation, Different Perspective
Maria-san wa boku ni chokorēto o agemashita. (Maria is the subject → ageru) Boku wa Maria-san ni chokorēto o moraimashita. (I am the subject → morau)
Same situation. The verb changes depending on who is speaking.
Kureru: From Someone Else, Towards You (The Most Important One!)
The Arrow Direction
Kureru = Someone else → Me (arrow towards me — special)
It looks similar to "ageru," but it's completely different.
Why "Ageru" Is Wrong
Look at the opening sentence again:
✗ Maria-san wa boku ni purezento o agemashita.
"Ageru" means an outward-pointing arrow. But in this sentence, Maria is giving something to me — the arrow points towards me. If you use "ageru," it feels as if the speaker became Maria. It sounds very unnatural to Japanese speakers.
The correct sentence:
✓ Maria-san wa boku ni purezento o kuremashita. (Maria gave me a present.)
What Does "My Side" (Jibun-gawa) Mean?
The recipient of "kureru" is "me or someone on my side":
- My side = me, my family... people close to me
Examples
Maria-san wa boku ni hon o kuremashita. (Maria gave me a book.) Maria → Me. Arrow towards me. "Kureru."
Obā-chan wa boku ni sētā o kuremashita. (My grandma gave me a sweater.) Grandma → Me. "Kureru."
Tomodachi ga boku no imōto ni okashi o kuremashita. (My friend gave my younger sister some sweets.) "My younger sister" is my family = "my side" → "Kureru."
Comparing the Three Arrows
Verb | Arrow Direction | Subject | When to Use |
Ageru | Me → Other | The person giving | When someone gives something outward |
Morau | Other → Me | The person receiving | When you receive something |
Kureru | Other → Me | The person giving | When someone gives to me/my family |
In one line: "The verb is determined by the direction of the arrow."
Morau vs Kureru
Tomodachi wa boku ni hon o kuremashita. (Friend is the subject) Boku wa tomodachi ni hon o moraimashita. (I am the subject)
The meaning is the same. The only difference is whose perspective you're speaking from.
Practice Exercises
Problem 1
"Boku wa Tanaka-san ni hana o __." (Me → Tanaka-san)
Problem 2
"Tanaka-san wa boku ni hana o __." (Tanaka-san → Me)
Problem 3
"Boku wa Tanaka-san ni hana o __." (I received, I am the subject)
▶️ Short videos for this article:
- "I gave you a gift" — wrong? (Agemasu)
- Same gift. Two verbs. (Moraimasu)
- The verb that always points at you (Kuremasu)
💡 Tip: These shorts explain each verb quickly. But to fully understand the arrow directions (ageru, morau, kureru), I recommend watching the full lesson in Japanese. Turn on English subtitles and everything will click:
▶️ Watch the full lesson (with subtitles)
🎓 Want to Practice More?
On YouTube, you learn the grammar rules. But with Preply, we practice real conversations. I'll show you how to use ageru, morau, and kureru in authentic contexts.
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