Getting Favors: When Others Do Things for You (～てくれる)
Grammar Rule in 30 Seconds
Use ～てくれる to describe someone doing a favor for you or your group.
- Use the te-form of the verb + くれる: {友達|ともだち}が{手伝|てつだ}ってくれた (My friend helped me).
- The subject is the person doing the favor, marked with が or は.
- It implies gratitude or acknowledgement that a service was performed for your benefit.
Overview
Japanese communication prioritizes social harmony and acknowledging the efforts of others. Merely stating a fact, such as "my friend taught me," often sounds impersonal or lacks the appropriate social nuance. The grammar pattern ～てくれる (～te kureru) serves a vital linguistic function: it expresses gratitude and acknowledges that an action performed by someone else has benefited you, the speaker, or someone within your designated in-group.
This pattern is not just about reporting an event; it imbues the statement with appreciation for the favor received. Mastering ～てくれる is fundamental for conveying social awareness and politeness in Japanese, transforming a neutral observation into a clear expression of thankfulness. Without it, your Japanese may sound detached, failing to capture the inherent social dimension of many daily interactions.
How This Grammar Works
～てくれる is the directionality of favor. It signifies that an action, performed by a third party (the giver), flows towards and benefits the speaker or the speaker's uchi (内 - in-group). Think of it as receiving a positive service or an act of kindness.くれる (kureru) inherently carries the connotation of "giving to me" or "doing for me," specifically when the recipient is the speaker or a member of their uchi. This embedded meaning conveys gratitude without needing explicit "thank you" phrasing within the structure itself. The choice of くれる over あげる (ageru) or もらう (morau) is dictated by whose perspective is being presented and who receives the benefit.くれる is exclusively used when the recipient of the action is the speaker or someone considered part of the speaker's uchi (e.g., family, close friends, pets). The person performing the action (the giver) is the grammatical subject of the sentence, typically marked by the particle が (ga) or, less commonly, は (wa) for emphasis.に (ni), but 私|わたしに (watashi ni, "to me") is frequently omitted because くれる already implies the benefit is for the speaker. This omission is a natural feature of Japanese, where context often renders explicit pronouns unnecessary.友達|ともだちがケーキを作った。(Tomodachi ga keeki o tsukutta.) - "My friend made a cake." (This is a neutral, factual report. There's no inherent indication of who benefited or the speaker's feeling about it.)友達|ともだちがケーキを作ってくれた。(Tomodachi ga keeki o tsukutte kureta.) - "My friend made a cake for me (and I am grateful)." (This explicitly frames the action as a favor benefiting the speaker, expressing gratitude for the friend's effort.)
Formation Pattern
～てくれる pattern is straightforward, requiring the て-form (te-form) of the main verb followed by くれる (kureru). The て-form is essential as it functions as a connective form in Japanese, linking verbs to express sequential actions, reasons, or to combine with auxiliary verbs like くれる. If you are not yet proficient with て-form conjugation, prioritizing its mastery is crucial, as it underpins countless Japanese grammatical structures.
て-form, simply attach くれる to it. くれる itself is the casual form, typically used among friends, family, or in informal contexts. For polite situations, such as speaking to superiors, strangers, or in formal settings, you will use its ます-form equivalent, くれます (kuremasu).
[Verb て-form] + くれる (Casual)
[Verb て-form] + くれます (Polite)
教える (oshieru, "to teach"):
教える
て-form: 教えて (oshiete)
くれる or くれます:
教えてくれる (Casual: Someone teaches/will teach me.)
教えてくれます (Polite: Someone teaches/will teach me.)
～てくれる
教えてくれる | oshiete kureru | (Someone) teaches/will teach me. |
教えてくれます | oshiete kuremasu | (Someone) teaches/will teach me (polite). |
教えてくれた | oshiete kureta | (Someone) taught me. |
教えてくれました | oshiete kuremashita | (Someone) taught me (polite). |
教えてくれない | oshiete kurenai | (Someone) won't teach me (won't do the favor). |
教えてくれません | oshiete kuremasen | (Someone) won't teach me (polite). |
教えてくれて、... | oshiete kurete, ... | (Someone) taught me, and then... |
教えてくれる？ | oshiete kureru? | Will you teach me? (Casual request) |
教えてくれませんか？ | oshiete kuremasen ka? | Won't you teach me? (Polite request) |
くださる (kudasaru) is used instead of くれる. This yields the pattern ～てくださる (～te kudasaru) or its polite ～てくださいます (～te kudasaimasu). While くださる is typically introduced at a later CEFR level, awareness of its existence as the honorific counterpart to くれる is beneficial for a complete understanding of the system.
When To Use It
～てくれる pattern is employed in a diverse array of situations where an action performed by another person directly benefits you or someone within your designated uchi (in-group). The underlying condition is consistently that someone performed an action, and that action brought a positive outcome to you or someone closely associated with you. It stands as the default expression of gratitude for a favor rendered, whether expected or unexpected.- 1Direct Benefit to the Speaker: This is the most frequent and intuitive application. Whenever someone does something directly for you that you appreciate,
～てくれるis the appropriate and natural choice.
友達|ともだちが荷物を運んでくれた。(Tomodachi ga nimotsu o hakonde kureta.) - "My friend carried my luggage (for me)." Here, the friend's action directly alleviated your burden.先生が私のレポートを直してくれた。(Sensei ga watashi no repooto o naoshite kureta.) - "My teacher corrected my report (for me)." This expresses gratitude for the teacher's help in improving your work.
- 1Benefit to the Speaker's In-Group (
uchi): Japanese culture often extends the concept of "self" to one's family, close friends, or even pets. If someone does a favor for a member of youruchi, you can use～てくれるto express gratitude on their behalf, as their well-being is connected to yours.
母が病気のとき、隣の人が食事を作ってくれた。(Haha ga byouki no toki, tonari no hito ga shokuji o tsukutte kureta.) - "When my mother was sick, our neighbor made meals for her (benefiting our family)." The neighbor's kindness to your mother is perceived as a favor to you.彼が私の弟に日本語を教えてくれた。(Kare ga watashi no otouto ni nihongo o oshiete kureta.) - "He taught Japanese to my younger brother (benefiting my family/in-group)." Your brother's progress is a positive outcome for your family unit.
- 1Reporting a Spontaneous or Unexpected Favor: Use
～てくれるwhen someone's kindness was unsolicited, unplanned, or came as a pleasant surprise. It heightens the sense of appreciation for an unprompted act of goodwill.
駅で困っていたら、見知らぬ人が助けてくれた。(Eki de komatte itara, mishiranu hito ga tasukete kureta.) - "When I was in trouble at the station, a stranger helped me (out of kindness)." The help was unexpected but greatly appreciated.
- 1Making a Request (as
～てくれる？or～てくれない？): While the primary function is to report past favors, the pattern can also be adapted for informal requests, especially with a rising intonation or question particleか. This frames the request as asking someone to perform a favor for you.
写真を撮ってくれる？(Shashin o totte kureru?) - "Will you take a picture for me?" (A casual request to a friend, phrased as a potential favor.)ちょっと手伝ってくれない？(Chotto tetsudatte kurenai?) - "Won't you help me a little?" (A slightly softer, casual request using the negative form, implying: "Would you mind doing me the favor of helping?")
～てくれる is invariably positive. It frames the action as a beneficial gift, fostering a sense of warmth and social connection. This pattern is integral to expressing politeness and consideration in everyday Japanese interactions, contributing significantly to smooth interpersonal relationships.Common Mistakes
～てくれる due to its implicit social dynamics and the existence of similar-looking yet fundamentally different grammatical patterns. Avoiding these common pitfalls is key to sounding natural and socially appropriate, allowing you to navigate Japanese social interactions with confidence.- 1Using
～てくれるfor Your Own Actions: This is arguably the most critical and frequently made error, directly violating the directionality of favor. You cannot use～てくれるto describe an action you perform for someone else.くれるspecifically denotes an action flowing towards the speaker or their in-group. If you were the one who performed the favor, it would conceptually translate to something like "I received the favor of helping you," which is grammatically illogical and culturally inappropriate. Instead, when you do a favor for someone, you must use～てあげる(～te ageru).
- Incorrect:
私|わたしは友達を手伝ってくれた。(Watashi wa tomodachi o tetsudatte kureta.) - This incorrectly implies you received a favor from yourself by helping your friend. - Correct:
私|わたしは友達を手伝ってあげた。(Watashi wa tomodachi o tetsudatte ageta.) - "I helped my friend." (This is the appropriate pattern for when you are the giver of the favor.)
- 1Incorrect
て-formConjugation: The～てくれるpattern strictly requires the correctて-formof the verb. Attachingくれるdirectly to the dictionary form orます-formof a verb is grammatically incorrect and will sound jarring to native speakers. Mastery ofて-formconjugation is non-negotiable for this and many other crucial Japanese grammar patterns.
- Incorrect:
食べるくれる(taberu kureru) - Correct:
食べてくれる(tabete kureru) - (Someone) eats for me. - Incorrect:
行きますくれる(ikimasu kureru) - Correct:
行ってくれる(itte kureru) - (Someone) goes for me.
- 1Using
～てくれるwhen the Receiver is Not the Speaker or In-Group: The benefit of the action must accrue to the speaker or someone closely associated with them (uchi). If the favor is performed for someone outside youruchi(ansotoperson), and you are merely observing or reporting it without being the direct beneficiary,～てあげる(or a simple descriptive verb) is typically used. Your perspective as the speaker is key.
- If Tanaka-san helped Suzuki-san, and neither is part of your
uchi: - Incorrect (from your perspective):
田中|たなかさんが鈴木さんを手伝ってくれた。(Tanaka-san ga Suzuki-san o tetsudatte kureta.) - This implies Tanaka helped you by helping Suzuki, which is usually not the case. - Correct:
田中|たなかさんが鈴木さんを手伝ってあげた。(Tanaka-san ga Suzuki-san o tetsudatte ageta.) - "Tanaka-san helped Suzuki-san." (This neutral statement usesあげるto reflect the favor flowing from Tanaka to Suzuki, with you as an observer.)
- 1Employing
～てくれるfor Negative or Unwanted Actions: As established,～てくれるintrinsically conveys a positive, grateful sentiment. Using it for a negative or harmful action would be highly sarcastic, deeply unnatural, or outright offensive. The language simply does not map this pattern to undesirable outcomes.
- Unnatural/Absurd:
誰かが財布を盗んでくれた。(Dareka ga saifu o nusunde kureta.) - (Literally: "Someone kindly stole my wallet for me.") This sounds nonsensical because stealing is not a favor. - Correct:
誰かが財布を盗んだ。(Dareka ga saifu o nusunda.) - "Someone stole my wallet." (Use the plain verb for neutral or negative events.)
- 1Confusing
～てくれるwith～てもらう(～te morau): Both patterns involve receiving a favor, but they differ fundamentally in their focus and grammatical subject. This distinction is a cornerstone of Japanese giving/receiving verbs.
～てくれる: Focuses on the GIVER'S action and their kindness. The grammatical subject of the sentence is the giver. "My friend did me the favor of buying tickets."友達|ともだちがチケットを買ってくれた。(Tomodachi ga chiketto o katte kureta.) - Subject:友達(friend).～てもらう: Focuses on the RECEIVER'S action of obtaining the favor. The grammatical subject of the sentence is the receiver. "I received the favor of my friend buying tickets."私|わたしは友達にチケットを買ってもらった。(Watashi wa tomodachi ni chiketto o katte moratta.) - Subject:私(I).
～てくれる and ～てもらう depends on whether you want to highlight the benevolent action of the giver (くれる) or your successful act of receiving/obtaining the favor (もらう). Both are correct, but they emphasize different aspects of the same event.Real Conversations
Understanding ～てくれる in authentic contexts demonstrates its essential utility in everyday Japanese communication. These examples illustrate various scenarios, politeness levels, and implicit meanings, reflecting how native speakers naturally incorporate this pattern.
Conversation 1: Friends arranging an outing (Casual)
A
明日のパーティー、場所どうする？ (Ashita no paatii, basho dousuru?)"For tomorrow's party, what about the location?"
B
あ、心配しなくていいよ。鈴木さんがもう予約してくれた。 (A, shinpai shinakute ii yo. Suzuki-san ga mou yoyaku shite kureta.)"Oh, you don't need to worry. Suzuki already made the reservation (for us)."
- Analysis: Speaker B uses ～てくれた to acknowledge Suzuki-san's proactive kindness in making the reservation. This action benefits both A and B, who are part of the informal uchi for the party. The use of ～てくれた implicitly conveys gratitude without needing a direct "thank you" here.
Conversation 2: Asking for help at university (Polite)
Student A
先生、この問題がよく分かりません。少し時間を頂けませんか。 (Sensei, kono mondai ga yoku wakarimasen. Sukoshi jikan o itadakemasen ka?)"Professor, I don't quite understand this problem. Could I trouble you for a little of your time?"
Professor
後で私のオフィスに来てくれたら、説明しますよ。 (Ato de watashi no ofisu ni kite kuretara, setsumei shimasu yo.)"If you come to my office later, I will explain it (for you)."
- Analysis: The professor uses ～てくれたら (～te kuretara, "if you do me the favor of coming") to politely set a condition. The underlying sentiment is that the student's act of coming to the office enables the professor to help them. It frames the student's action as beneficial for themselves, which the professor is facilitating.
Conversation 3: Coworkers discussing a task (Polite)
A
会議の資料、作成できましたか？ (Kaigi no shiryou, sakusei dekimashita ka?)"Were you able to prepare the meeting materials?"
B
はい、山田さんが手伝ってくれたので、終わりました。 (Hai, Yamada-san ga tetsudatte kureta node, owarimashita.)"Yes, Yamada-san helped me (with the favor of helping), so I finished."
- Analysis: Speaker B expresses gratitude for Yamada-san's help using ～てくれた. This is a very common and natural way to acknowledge teamwork and the assistance received from colleagues, framing it as a favor that benefited the speaker's work.
Quick FAQ
～てくれる from related patterns, you will gain a more sophisticated understanding of how to appropriately express gratitude and navigate social interactions in Japanese.～てくれる be used for negative or unwanted actions?Generally, no. ～てくれる inherently carries a positive connotation of gratitude and favor. Using it for a negative action would sound highly sarcastic, deeply unnatural, or even offensive. For example, 財布を盗んでくれた (saifu o nusunde kureta, "someone kindly stole my wallet for me") is grammatically possible but semantically absurd. For neutral or negative events, simply use the plain verb form: 財布を盗んだ (saifu o nusunda, "someone stole my wallet").
～てくれる when a stranger does something for me?Absolutely. If a stranger performs an action that benefits you, using ～てくれました (the polite past form) when reporting it to someone else is perfectly natural and appreciative. It highlights unexpected kindness. For instance, 駅で道を教えてくれました (Eki de michi o oshiete kuremashita, "A stranger taught me the way at the station (for my benefit)") is a common and polite way to express gratitude for such an encounter.
私|わたしに (watashi ni)?No, in most cases, 私|わたしに is omitted. The verb くれる itself strongly implies that the action benefits the speaker or their in-group. Overusing 私|わたしに can sound redundant or even slightly self-centered, as if you are emphasizing your role as the recipient unnecessarily. It is typically clear from context who the beneficiary is.
友達|ともだちがコーヒーを買ってくれた。(Tomodachi ga koohii o katte kureta.) - "My friend bought coffee for me." (No私|わたしにneeded; the meaning is clear.)
～てくれる differ from ～てください (～te kudasai)?This is a key distinction. ～てくれる (as a statement) reports an action someone did or will do for you, with an implicit expression of gratitude for that favor. ～てください is a direct, polite command or request, meaning "Please do X." It does not carry the nuance of a reciprocal favor.
友達|ともだちが手紙を書いてくれた。(Tomodachi ga tegami o kaite kureta.) - "My friend wrote a letter for me." (Reporting a past favor.)手紙を書いてください。(Tegami o kaite kudasai.) - "Please write a letter." (A direct request or command.)
～てくれる？ or ～てくれませんか？ can function as polite requests, but they retain the nuance of asking someone to do you a favor, rather than a direct instruction.～てくれる and ～てもらう (～te morau)?Both patterns indicate receiving a favor, but they differ critically in perspective and grammatical focus:
～てくれる: Emphasizes the giver's benevolent action and their kindness. The grammatical subject of the sentence is the giver. The structure highlights who performed the action.友達|ともだちが手伝ってくれた。(Tomodachi ga tetsudatte kureta.) - "My friend (subject) did me the favor of helping." (Focus on the friend's action.)～てもらう: Emphasizes the receiver's successful act of having someone do something for them. The grammatical subject of the sentence is the receiver. The structure highlights who successfully obtained the favor.私|わたしは友達に手伝ってもらった。(Watashi wa tomodachi ni tetsudatte moratta.) - "I (subject) had my friend help me." or "I received the favor of my friend helping." (Focus on your receiving the help.)
くれる) or your successful receipt of that action (もらう). Both are grammatically correct ways to describe the same event.～てくれる?Yes. The honorific equivalent for くれる is くださる (kudasaru). Therefore, ～てくださる is used when the person performing the favor (the giver) is someone you need to show respect to, such as a teacher, boss, or elder. This is part of keigo (honorific language).
先生が私に本を貸してくださいました。(Sensei ga watashi ni hon o kashite kudasaimashita.) - "The teacher kindly lent me a book." (The teacher is the respected giver.)
Conjugation of ～てくれる
| Form | Casual | Polite |
|---|---|---|
|
Non-past
|
～てくれる
|
～てくれます
|
|
Past
|
～てくれた
|
～てくれました
|
|
Negative
|
～てくれない
|
～てくれません
|
|
Past Negative
|
～てくれなかった
|
～てくれませんでした
|
|
Te-form
|
～てくれて
|
～てくださって
|
|
Volitional
|
～てくれよう
|
N/A
|
Common Contractions
| Full | Contraction |
|---|---|
|
～てくれる
|
～てく(る)
|
|
～てくれた
|
～てくれた
|
Meanings
Indicates that someone performed an action for the speaker or someone in the speaker's in-group.
Direct Favor
Someone performs a specific action for the speaker's benefit.
“{彼|かれ}が{荷物|にもつ}を{持|も}ってくれた。”
“{先生|せんせい}が{日本語|にほんご}を{教|おし}えてくれた。”
Reference Table
| Form | Structure | Example |
|---|---|---|
|
Affirmative
|
Verb-te + くれる
|
買ってくれる (He buys for me)
|
|
Past
|
Verb-te + くれた
|
買ってくれた (He bought for me)
|
|
Negative
|
Verb-te + くれない
|
買ってくれない (He won't buy for me)
|
|
Polite
|
Verb-te + くれます
|
買ってくれます (He buys for me)
|
|
Request
|
Verb-te + くれない？
|
買ってくれない？ (Will you buy for me?)
|
|
Honorific
|
Verb-te + くださる
|
買ってくださる (He kindly buys for me)
|
Formality Spectrum
彼が手伝ってくださいました。 (General)
彼が手伝ってくれました。 (General)
彼が手伝ってくれた。 (General)
彼が手伝ってくれたよ。 (General)
Benefactive Flow
Receiver
- 私 Me
Giver
- 彼/彼女 He/She
Examples by Level
{友達|ともだち}が{写真|しゃしん}を{撮|と}ってくれた。
My friend took a picture for me.
{彼|かれ}が{パン|ぱん}を{買|か}ってくれた。
He bought bread for me.
{先生|せんせい}が{説明|せつめい}してくれた。
The teacher explained it for me.
{母|はは}が{掃除|そうじ}してくれた。
My mom cleaned for me.
{誰|だれ}がこの{手紙|てがみ}を{書|か}いてくれたのですか？
Who wrote this letter for you?
{彼|かれ}は{私|わたし}のために{待|ま}ってくれませんでした。
He didn't wait for me.
{田中|たなか}さんが{駅|えき}まで{案内|あんない}してくれました。
Tanaka-san guided me to the station.
{妹|いもうと}が{宿題|しゅくだい}を{手伝|てつだ}ってくれた。
My little sister helped me with homework.
{忙|いそが}しいのに{時間|じかん}を{作|つく}ってくれてありがとう。
Thank you for making time for me even though you are busy.
{彼|かれ}が{直|なお}してくれたおかげで、{車|くるま}が{動|うご}くようになった。
Thanks to him fixing it, the car started working.
{彼女|かのじょ}が{作|つく}ってくれた{料理|りょうり}はとても{美味|おい}しかった。
The food she made for me was very delicious.
{誰|だれ}も{助|たす}けてくれない。
No one will help me.
{部長|ぶちょう}が{推薦状|すいせんじょう}を{書|か}いてくださった。
The manager kindly wrote a recommendation letter for me.
{彼|かれ}が{見|み}つけてくれた{情報|じょうほう}は{役|やく}に{立|た}った。
The information he found for me was useful.
{父|ちち}が{送|おく}ってくれた{本|ほん}を{読|よ}んでいる。
I am reading the book my father sent me.
{彼|かれ}が{言|い}ってくれた{言葉|ことば}に{救|すく}われた。
I was saved by the words he said to me.
{彼|かれ}が{示|しめ}してくれた{道|みち}は{険|けわ}しいものだった。
The path he showed me was a steep one.
{長年|ながねん}の{研究|けんきゅう}を{共有|きょうゆう}してくれたことに{感謝|かんしゃ}する。
I am grateful that you shared your years of research with me.
{彼|かれ}が{残|のこ}してくれた{遺産|いさん}は{大|おお}きい。
The legacy he left for us is significant.
{誰|だれ}が{何|なに}を{求|もと}めているのか{教|おし}えてくれた。
He told me what everyone is looking for.
{彼|かれ}が{身|み}を{挺|てい}して{守|まも}ってくれた{恩|おん}は{忘|わす}れない。
I will never forget the debt of gratitude for him risking his life to protect me.
{先人|せんじん}が{築|きず}き{上|あ}げてくれた{文化|ぶんか}を{守|まも}るべきだ。
We must protect the culture that our predecessors built for us.
{彼|かれ}が{与|あた}えてくれた{機会|きかい}を{無駄|むだ}にはしない。
I will not waste the opportunity he gave me.
{彼|かれ}が{見|み}せてくれた{景色|けしき}は{一生|いっしょう}{忘|わす}れないだろう。
I will likely never forget the scenery he showed me.
Easily Confused
Learners mix up who is doing the favor.
Both involve receiving, but focus differs.
Both relate to favors.
Common Mistakes
私に食べるくれる
私に食べてくれる
私が彼に食べるくれる
私が彼に食べるあげる
食べるくれる
食べてくれる
彼が私を食べるくれる
彼が私に食べてくれる
彼が私に買ってくれたのですか？
彼が私に買ってくれたの？
彼が私に買ってくれた。
彼が私に買ってくれた。
彼が買ってくれた。
彼が買ってくれた。
彼が私に買ってくださった。
彼が私に買ってくれた。
彼が私に買ってくれた。
彼が私に買ってくれた。
彼が私に買ってくれた。
彼が私に買ってくれた。
彼が私に買ってくれた。
彼が私に買ってくれた。
彼が私に買ってくれた。
彼が私に買ってくれた。
彼が私に買ってくれた。
彼が私に買ってくれた。
彼が私に買ってくれた。
彼が私に買ってくれた。
Sentence Patterns
___が___を___てくれました。
___が___てくれなかったので、___。
___てくれてありがとう。
___が___てくれると嬉しいです。
Real World Usage
手伝ってくれてありがとう！
貴重な機会をくださりありがとうございます。
道を教えてくれてありがとうございます。
届けてくれてありがとうございます。
シェアしてくれてありがとう！
先生、教えてくれてありがとうございます。
Focus on the giver
Don't use for yourself
Combine with gratitude
In-group vs Out-group
Smart Tips
Always add 'arigatou' after the te-kureru form.
Switch to kudasaru.
Use the question form.
Use the negative form.
Pronunciation
Kureru
Pronounce as 'ku-re-ru' with a light tap on the 'r'.
Question
～てくれる？↑
Rising intonation indicates a request.
Memorize It
Mnemonic
Kureru sounds like 'cool-eru'—it's cool when someone does a favor for you!
Visual Association
Imagine a friend handing you a gift. The 'te' is the hand reaching out, and 'kureru' is the gift landing in your palm.
Rhyme
When they do it for you, add te-kureru too!
Story
I was hungry. My friend saw me. He cooked for me. 'Tabete kureta!' I said with a smile.
Word Web
Challenge
Write 3 sentences about things people did for you today using ～てくれた.
Cultural Notes
The concept of 'on' (debt of gratitude) is central. Using kureru acknowledges this debt.
Kureru comes from the verb 'to give' in a humble context.
Conversation Starters
誰が日本語を教えてくれましたか？
昨日、誰かが何かをしてくれましたか？
友達に何をしてもらいたいですか？
誰が一番よく手伝ってくれますか？
Journal Prompts
Common Mistakes
Test Yourself
友達が宿題を___くれました。
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
彼が私に食べるくれる。
私 / 買って / 友達 / くれた / が
Match each item on the left with its pair on the right:
A: 手伝ってくれてありがとう。 B: ___
彼が買ってくれる。
Can I use kureru for myself?
Score: /8
Practice Exercises
8 exercises友達が宿題を___くれました。
Which is correct?
Find and fix the mistake:
彼が私に食べるくれる。
私 / 買って / 友達 / くれた / が
Match 食べる to the correct form.
A: 手伝ってくれてありがとう。 B: ___
彼が買ってくれる。
Can I use kureru for myself?
Score: /8
Practice Bank
10 exercises{彼|かれ}が{返信|へんしん}を___くれました。
My mom bought me a computer.
[{貸|か}して] [{田中|たなか}さんが] [くれた] [{傘|かさ}を]
Choose the best request:
Match the following:
{先生|せんせい}がペンを{貸|か}してくれました。
{誰|だれ}かが{財布|さいふ}を___くれました。
Which sentence sounds most appreciative?
Thanks for coming!
ルームメイトが{部屋|へや}を___くれた。
Score: /10
FAQ (8)
No, use kudasaru for superiors.
Use ageru.
Usually, but can be used for negative favors too.
It's the grammatical connector.
Yes, if you treat them as family.
Yes, very common.
Morau focuses on the receiver.
Use kudasaru instead.
Scaffolded Practice
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2
3
4
Mastery Progress
Needs Practice
Improving
Strong
Mastered
In Other Languages
hacer un favor
Japanese encodes the favor in the verb itself.
faire une faveur
Japanese verb endings are mandatory.
einen Gefallen tun
Japanese is more concise.
帮 (bang)
Japanese is a suffix.
فعل معروف
Japanese is morphologically integrated.
do a favor
Japanese is a suffix.
Learning Path
Prerequisites
Learn These First
Related Videos
Related Grammar Rules
Japanese Giving Verb: I give to you (あげる)
Overview Japanese verbs of giving and receiving represent one of the most intricate areas for learners, deeply intertwin...
Kureru: When Someone Gives to YOU
Overview Japanese verbs of giving and receiving, specifically `{あげる|ageru}`, `{くれる|kureru}`, and `{もらう|morau}`,...
Receiving Things with Gratitude (もらう)
Overview Japanese grammar profoundly reflects interpersonal relationships and social hierarchy. The verb `もらう` ({貰|...
Doing Favors for Others (～てあげる)
Overview Japanese communication is deeply influenced by social hierarchy, group distinctions, and a nuanced understandin...
Japanese ~te morau: Having someone do something for you
Overview In Japanese, expressing that an action was performed by someone else **for your benefit** fundamentally relies...
