Traveling in Japan can be an adventure, but language barriers can sometimes make things more difficult than they need to be. Luckily, learning a related to transportation can go a long way in helping you navigate the country’s bustling streets and efficient transportation systems. In this post, we’ll cover 10 Japanese terms that will come in handy during your travels.

空港 (koukou): Airport

When arriving in Japan, you’ll likely start at one of the country’s many airports. Remembering the word 空港 (koukou) can help you navigate signs and announcements. (You can check out a more complete list of airport-related Japanese vocabulary here).

空港で荷物をとったあと、タクシーを探しましょう。
Kuukou de nimotsu o totta ato, takushii o sagashimashou.
After retrieving your baggage at the airport, let’s look for a taxi.

駅 (eki): Train station

Japan’s train system is one of the most efficient in the world, and when you’re traveling to Japan on a budget, you’ll be relying on trains more than other methods of transportation like taxi — or even shinkansen.

Unfortunately, you’ll be hearing mostly Japanese announcements inside the train station, which makes navigation even more overwhelming. You can learn about common train announcements in Japan here, but make sure you know the word 駅 (eki) beforehand!

東京駅から渋谷駅までどの電車に乗ればいいですか？
Toukyou eki kara shibuya eki made dono densha ni noreba iidesu ka?
Which train should I take from Tokyo Station from Shibuya?

切符 (kippu): Ticket

When traveling by train or shinkansen, you’ll typically need either of two things: a prepaid IC card or one-way ticket to your destination.

We recommend getting IC cards like PASMO or Suica (which you can easily get in the ticket counter) for regular train rides, or even a JR Pass so you can hop from a bullet train to a JR line with ease.

With the announcement of price increase on JR Pass, however, some of us might just opt for one-way tickets. Remember the word word 切符 (kippu) to make sure you purchase the right ticket.

京都までの切符をお願いします。
Kyouto made no kippu o onegaishimasu.
I want to buy a ticket to Kyoto.

Bonus: See our infographic on how to read Shinkansen tickets in Japan!

ホーム (hoomu): Platform

Once you have your ticket, you’ll need to find the right platform. The word ホーム (ho-mu) means platform in Japanese.

電車は1番ホームから発車します。
Densha wa 1-ban hoomu kara hassha shimasu.
The train departs from platform 1.

発車 (hassha): departure

If you see the word 発車 (hassha) on a sign, it means the train is departing. Make sure you’re on board before the train leaves!

電車はいつ発車するんですか？
Densha wa itsu hassha surundesu ka?
When does the train depart?

到着 (touchaku): Arrival

On the flip side, 到着 (touchaku) means arrival. Keep an eye out for this word so you know when you’ve reached your destination. You’ll here this Japanese travel vocabulary word on both airplane and train announcements.

駅に到着したら、どこに行けばいいですか？
Eki ni touchaku shitara, doko ni ikeba iidesu ka?
Where should I go once I arrive at the station?

Note: You’ll also hear official announcements using the word 参ります (mairimasu), which implies the same thing as 到着 (touchaku). 参ります (mairimasu) is the humble verb form of 入る (hairu), which means “to come”. Don’t be confused when you hear some train conductors or bus drivers in Japan using this word instead of 到着 (touchaku)!

間も無く渋谷駅にまります。
Mamonaku shibuya eki ni mairimasu.
We will arrive shortly at Shibuya Station.

You can learn more about Japanese polite form, or keigo, here.

時刻表 (jikokuhyou): Timetable

If you’re not sure when your train is departing, check a 時刻表 (jikokuhyou) for the latest information.

時刻表を見て、次の電車の時間を調べましょう。
Jigokuhyou o mite, tsugi no densha no jikan o shirabemashou.
Let’s check the timetable and find out the time of the next train.)

乗換 (norikae): Transfer

Most Japanese train systems are integrated well, but there will be times when you’ll need to change trains to reach your destination when you are visiting Japan as a tourist.

Transfers happen when you need to use a different train line. In Tokyo, for example, the biggest passenger railway is the JR East, which covers Shibuya, Shinjuku, and most well-known wards in Tokyo — but it doesn’t cover all stations. This means that you can’t go from Shibuya straight to areas like Nakameguro and Roppongi, which are two upscale areas that uses the Tokyo Metro and subway line.

To get there, you’ll need to make a transfer to a train station that has both JR and Tokyo Metro or subway line. If you get confused and ask the train staff, take note if they mentioned the word 乗換 (norikae), means transfer in Japanese.

次の駅で乗換が必要です。
Tsugi no eki de norikae ga hitsuyou desu.
You need to transfer at the next station.)

バス (basu): Bus

While Japan’s train system is extensive, sometimes taking a bus is the better option. Remember the word バス (basu) to make sure you get on the right bus.

バスに乗る前に、時刻表を確認してください。
Basu ni noru mae ni, jigokuhyou o kakuninshite kudasai.
Please check the timetable before getting on the bus.

どこ (doko): Where

Finally, we can’t end our travel to Japan vocabulary article without include one of the most essential Japanese question words for first-time visitors: Where? Navigating popular cities in Japan like Tokyo and Osaka can be challenging, especially when it comes to finding small restaurants and shops. When Google Maps fails to provide accurate directions, you can rely on practicing your Japanese language skills and asking a local for assistance by using the question: “Where is (the name of the place)?”

すみません、地下成増鉄駅はどこですか？
Sumimasen, chikatetsu narimasu eki wa doko desu ka?
Excuse me, where is the subway station?

地下鉄成増駅はここからまっすぐ行って、右に曲がってください。
Chikatetsu narimasu eki wa koko kara massugu itte, migi ni magatte kudasai.
The Narimasu subway station is straight ahead from here, please turn right.

ありがとうございます。
Arigatou gozaimasu.
Thank you very much.

While it may seem intimidating at first, learning a few key Japanese words can make traveling in Japan as a tourist much easier. Knowing these transportation-related vocabulary words will allow you to confidently navigate Japan’s extensive train and bus systems and make the most of your time in the country.

Travel and Study in Japan with Coto Academy!

Coto Academy offers short-term courses that are perfect for individuals who want to learn Japanese while on their vacation in Japan. However, whether you are visiting Japan or searching for flexible Japanese classes to fit into your busy work schedule, we have a course that will cater to your level, availability, and preferences!

Read more about traveling in Japan:

• How to Travel, Work, and Study in Japan on a Working Holiday Visa
• Life in Japan Tip: Deals on Japan Train Travel (Tokyo Rail Pass & Kansai Rail Pass)
• How to Get Around Japan with Public Transportation: Buses, Taxis and Train

Ever wondered why it takes longer for you, a native English speaker, to learn Japanese compared to your other foreign friends? In our previous article, we discussed how while Japanese is already a challenging language to learn, it’s even more difficult if you grow up speaking English. Why is that?

The answer lies in the vast differences between the English and Japanese languages. From the writing systems and grammar structures to the contextual basis of communication, there are a few similarities that can speed up the learning process. Unlike Chinese and Korean speakers, who can draw upon some similarities in their own language, English speakers face additional hurdles. In this article, we’ll explore the reasons why Japanese is more difficult for English speakers to learn and provide insights on how to navigate these challenges!

Are there any similarities between English and Japanese?

While the differences between English and Japanese outweigh the similarities, there are some non-obvious traits that both language share. Hopefully, these similarities give you a piece of mind when you start learning Japanese. 

Japanese and English languages borrow words from each other

Loan words in Japanese, or gairaigo (外来語), are words borrowed from foreign countries other than China. While there are some loanwords that come from Europe like Dutch and Portuguese — but most of them come from English. In fact, 10% of the vocabulary of modern Japanese comes from English.

For example, besides arigatou gozaimasu, a lot of friends would say a Japan-ized “thank you” to each other casually. The Japanese alphabet doesn’t recognize the consonant “th, so instead,the “s” is used.

サンキュー
Sankyuu.
Thank you. 

Nowadays, a lot of Japanese people tend to prefer using English loanwords over their Japanese equivalents. Some people might even have a hard time identifying the pure Japanese word because they’re so used to using its loanword equivalent! For example:

Likewise, while the Japanese language has borrowed a lot of English words, we can say the same thing the other way around. Let’s take tsunamis, for instance. There’s no English word to describe huge tidal waves, so it was borrowed from the Japanese. Other examples include sushi, katsu, skosh (as in “just a skosh”) and tycoon. Read more loanwords that come from Japanese here!

Japanese and English Languages Start with a Subject 

This is a fundamental aspect of both Japanese and English. In English, we know that the subject of a sentence will always come first, followed by a verb, and then the object — this is the simplest grammar structure.

For example, in the word, “The dog is playing a ball”, “the dog” is the subject”, “is playing” is the verb, and “the ball” is the object.

While Japanese has a different structure (more of that later!), the subject is usually placed at the beginning of the sentence. Simple, right? Take a look at the sentence below.

私は犬を愛しています。
Watashi wa inu o aishite imasu.
I love dogs. 

Here, “Watashi” is the subject, “neko” is the object, and “aishiteimasu” is the verb.

Although there are some exceptions to these rules in both languages, such as in questions or certain types of emphasis, the general tendency is for sentences to follow this structure. 

Like Japanese, English Has Honorifics

If you have heard  -kun (くん), -chan (ちゃん), -san (さん), and -sama (さま) before, then you know that in Japan, you just simply do not call people by their names. To address someone or speak about someone, you need to use honorifics — a suffix that goes after the person’s name. For example:

佐藤さん
Satou san

田中様
Tanaka sama (sama indicates more respect) 

English also has its own list of honorifics, like Mr., Mrs., and Ms. They’re used to address people politely, and in formal situations. The only difference is that Japanese honorifics can also be used to address someone younger or socially lower than you — such as -kun (くん), used on friendly terms for male friends, and chan, used for children. Another thing is that English doesn’t use honorifics as regularly as Japanese. In fact, you won’t find someone calling you Mister or Miss on a casual meeting.

Differences Between Japanese and English

Different Writing Systems

While the English language only has 26 letters based on the Latin alphabet, the Japanese has not one, not two, but three writing systems. The first two, katakana and hiragana, are phonetic systems that share the same sounds. Katakana is usually used for foreign words while hiragana is used for everything else including particles.  

Hiragana and katakana are similar to the alphabet; these characters represent a syllable that when combined with other characters, makes up a Japanese word. 

The trickiest part that most foreigners have a hard time with is kanji — the third writing system in the Japanese language. Unlike hiragana and katakana, a kanji must be memorized separately as one character does not represent one “sound”, but one “meaning”. In other words, kanji are closer to ideograms that represent words and concepts instead of a writing system.

This is why there are thousands of kanjis there are thousands of them — approximately 4,400 kanji characters. Just as a reference, to pass JLPT N3, you’ll need to learn 650 kanji. 

Japanese has a different sentence structure

I want a cat. I read a book. You are drinking a cup of coffee. The English language follows the basic grammar pattern that we all use unconsciously: the subject-verb-object (SVO) pattern.

In Japanese, the basic sentence structure follows a subject-object-verb (SOV) pattern. For example:

On the other hand, it will look like this in English.

This means when you’re deciphering a Japanese sentence too literally, the translation can go awry. Take a look at another example below.

Doesn’t make sense, right? If you’re used to speaking in a language that adopts the basic SVO pattern, you might need some time before getting used to the Japanese sentence pattern. 

The Japanese Language Likes to Omit Subjects

As you learn to speak Japanese in real situations or listen to conversations, you might notice that a lot of Japanese people like to omit subjects, especially when it indicates the first person.

In English, removing a subject from a sentence is grammatically incorrect. You can’t just say “want eat” to someone, as this is technically an incomplete sentence. Who wants to eat?

In Japanese, however, when the subject is obvious and heavily implied in the context of the conversation, a sentence would not require one. For example, imagine a scenario where you just got home from the convenience store. Your mom was there waiting for you at the entrance, and she asks:

Mom
何を買ったの？
Nani o katta no?
What did (you) buy?

You
ファミチキを買った。
Famichiki okatta.
(I) bought a Famichiki. 

Noticed how even the mom omits “you” in her question? The right sentence would be, あなたが何を買ったの (anata ga nani o katta no). However, when spoken, it will sound unnatural because, at this point, we know that your mom is directly asking a question to you. 

The same goes for your answer. You can say, 私はファミチキを買った (watashi wa famichiki o katta), but it’s clear that you’re referring to yourself. 

Another example will be when you are feeling a headache. In English, this will simply be, “I have a headache.”

In Japanese, the literal translation will be

私は頭がいたい。
Watashi wa atama ga itai. 

However, as you study more advanced Japanese, you realize that “ha” is used to put emphasis on the subject. Therefore, when you say, “私は頭がいたい,” you are claiming, “I am having a headache.”

Of course, the meaning doesn’t change, and it’s not dramatically incorrect. However, it’ll affect. the overall nuance of your statement.

Keep in mind that the use of subject omission in the Japanese language is a complex cultural and linguistic phenomenon that has developed over time due to various social and linguistic factors. Japanese is a language that places a high value on brevity and efficiency in communication, and omitting the subject can help to make sentences shorter and more concise. If a sentence contains a lot of obvious possessive determinators and subjects, we can clean it up. For example:

私は私のカバンを忘れてしまいました。
Watashi wa watashi no kaban o wasurete shimaimashita.
I lost my bag. 

Here, if you are declaring that you are losing your own bag, you can simply say:

カバンを忘れてしまいました。
Kaban o wasurete shimaimashita.
(I) lost (my) bag. 

There are also other ways in which the Japanese language can help indicate if someone is performing the action for someone else — without explicitly mentioning the subjects. These are done through conjugations like 〜てあげる, 〜てくれる, and 〜てもら. If you want to read more about that, head here. 

The Japanese language has different levels of formality

English has its own system of formal language, but it’s generally less complex than Japanese. To put it into perspective, English ‘formal’ language relies more on vocabulary and syntax rather than specific verb forms and grammar rules. 

In the Japanese language, there is a special way of speaking called keigo which is used to show respect to people of higher social status. There are three main levels of keigo: sonkeigo (respectful language), kenjougo (humble language), and teineigo (polite language). Each keigo with its own set of verb forms, vocabulary, and grammar rules.

Which level of keigo to use depends on the relationship between the speaker and the listener. For example, if you are talking to your boss, you should use sonkeigo (尊敬語) to show the utmost respect.

On the other hand, when talking to a client, your boss becomes part of your in-group or uchi (内), and the client is perceived to be of higher social status. In this case, you would use kenjougo (謙譲語) to show humility towards the client. Complicated, right? 

In essence, keigo is used to show respect and maintain social harmony, but it can be hard to navigate as it depends on various social hierarchies and relationships.

English has more vowels than Japanese

Despite its intricate writing system, we can bet that Japanese is more simple in one thing: its pronunciation. The Japanese language has significantly fewer vowels sounds than English. 

Japanese has only five vowel sounds: /a/, /i/, /u/, /e/, and /o/ (あ, い, う, え, and お). These sounds are more consistent than in English because they are pronounced based on how they are written. For example, the word haha (母) is pronounced as it is: ha-ha.

This isn’t necessarily true for English. English has fifteen vowel sounds represented by the letters a, e, i, o, and u. This means that even when a word has the same vowel, it can be pronounced differently. For example, words like “able” (ay-ble) or “salt” are pronounced differently, even when it contains the vowel “a”.

Different Pronunciation

Now that we’ve gotten over the vowels, we can dive into how Japanese pronunciation differs from English. Japanese uses double consonants and long vowels more than English, which can be a bit of a tricky gap to overcome if you speak English all the time. 

For example, the grandpa and uncle are pronounced almost similar if not for the fact that grandpa, or ojii–san, in Japanese, has a long vowel.

おじいさん
Oji-i-san
Grandfather

おじさん
Oji-san
Uncle

This is another tricky part that foreigners have trouble with. English also has more consonant sounds in Japanese; 24 compared to 14 consonants. While this makes it seem like Japanese people will have a harder time learning English, native English speakers have found it tricky to nail pronouncing “R” in Japanese. The “r” in Japanese sounds like a middle point between the English “r” and “l”.

Japanese is a highly contextual language compared to English

お疲れ様です (otsukare sama desu). よろしく音がいします (yoroshiku onegaishimasu). We all have probably learned these basic phrases and started using the regularly. Intepreting their nuance and meaning, however, is another thing.

Both otsukare sama desu and yoroshiku onegaishimasu are one of the many phrases with multiple meanings. This is because Japanese is considered a high-context language. This means that in Japanese, a lot of meaning is conveyed through context, nonverbal cues, and implicit communication. What does this mean?

In Japanese, it’s common to use vague language and rely on context to convey the intended meaning. For example, if you’re asking someone on a date tomorrow, they might say:

明日は厳しいけど…
Ashita wa kibishii kedo…
Tomorrow is (a bit hard).

Here, we might be inclined to press further: what about the next day? Or the weekend? This is where you will need to read between the lines and realize that that person is indirectly saying no.

On the other hand, Englsih is a more direct language, and meaning is often conveyed through explicit and precise language. Nonverbal cues are less relied upon than in Japanese. English sentences usually include the subject and verb, and context is less important for understanding the meaning of a sentence.

Let’s Learn Japanese with Coto Academy!

Overall, there are a lot of differences between Japanese and English that can make studying the language hard. If you’d like to study Japanese with professional teachers, why not join Coto Academy? We have a range of courses ranging from beginner crash courses to business Japanese!

We also have an online lesson portal, where you can easily browse lessons and book a class.

If you’re ready to get started, fill out the inquiry form below for a free level check and course consultation!

あげる, くれる, and もらう (ageru, kureru, morau) are giving and receiving verbs describing how objects or actions are passed from one person to another.

あげる (ageru) and くれる (kureru) mean ‘to give’, and もらう (morau) means ‘to receive’, but it isn’t quite that simple. The use of each verb depends on the perspective you are speaking from, as well as the giver and receiver’s relationship. To understand this, we first have to learn how communities are structured in the Japanese language and their relationship.

Want to learn Japanese with a teacher for more personalized support? Join Coto Academy’s flexible Japanese courses in Tokyo or Yokohama! Contact us and start your learning journey with us! Or if you want to do things online, make a free account and browse lessons!

Jump to:

• Basics of Ageru, Kureru, and Morau
• Basic Sentence Structure of Ageru, Kureru, and Morau
• Using ~て + Ageru/Kureru/Morau
• ~てくれる (~te kureru)
• ~てあげる (~te ageru)
• ~てもらう (~te morau)
• Polite Forms of Ageru, Kureru, Morau
• ない: Negative form of Ageru, Kureru, and Morau
• Quiz: Kureru, Ageru, Morau?

Basics of Ageru, Kureru, and Morau

When talking about people or relationships between people, the Japanese language draws a line between inside or uchi (内), and outside or soto (外). uchi (内) includes the self, or watashi (私), as well as people that you are close to, such as family and friends. Everyone else falls into the soto (外) category.

Let’s see how this applies to あげる, くれる, and もらう (ageru, kureru, morau).

Another way of thinking about this is that あげる (ageru) is used when talking from the giver’s perspective or a third-person perspective, whereas くれる (kureru) is used when talking from the receiver’s perspective, and もらう (morau) can be used in any situation.

Even here, it’s important to understand that the giver or receiver perspective can be used even if the situation is between 内 (uchi) and 外 (soto) and not necessarily involving the self.

Basics of Ageru, Kureru, and Morau

Now that we understand the difference between each word, we can start building simple sentences. Keep an eye out for the 私 (watashi), 内 (uchi), and 外 (soto) combinations!

あげる (ageru)

くれる (kureru)

もらう (morau)

Note: “から (kara)” can be used instead of “に (ni)”, especially when receiving something from an organization rather than a person

For all of the above cases, ‘が (ga)’ can also be used instead of ‘は (wa)’ when the sentence is presenting new information on the topic during the conversation, such as when replying to a question:

佐藤さんに本をあげたのは誰ですか？
Sato-san ni hon o ageta no wa dare desuka
Who gave Sato-san a book?

私があげました。
watashi ga agemashita
I gave it (I was the one who gave it)

You may recognize that there are a few forms of polite speech in Japanese: simple polite form, honorific form, and humble form. Generally, speech can be converted to simple polite form by adding です・ます (desu/masu). The honorific form, called 尊敬語 (sonkeigo), shows respect to particular people, including not just the receivers of the speech but also third parties. The humble form, called 謙譲語 (kenjougo), shows respect to the receivers of the speech by humbling the speaker.

Using ~て + Ageru/Kureru/Morau

We’ve used ageru, kureru, and morau to express giving and receiving objects, but this can also be used for actions, to mean doing something for someone. This can be done by conjugating verbs into the ‘て (te)’ form, and adding ageru/kureru/morau.

For example:

私は佐藤さんに本を買ってあげた.
watashi wa Sato-san ni hon o katte ageta.
I bought Sato-san a book

Using ‘ageta’ emphasises that the action is done for someone, compared to if you just said ‘買った (katta), so a giver saying this could potentially sound patronizing to the receiver. This is why it is rarely used towards someone who you are not close or friendly with.

佐藤さんは私に本を買ってくれた.
Satou san wa watashi ni hon o katte kureta.
Sato-san bought me a book.

私は佐藤さんに本を買ってもらった.
watashi wa Sato-san ni hon o katte moratta.
Sato-san bought me a book.

Both of the above mean the same thing: Sato-san bought me a book. The only difference is the sentence structure, where the giver is the subject when using ‘kureta’, and the receiver is the subject when using ‘moratta’.

~てくれる (~te kureru)

The verb “くれる” (kureru) indicates that someone is doing something for the benefit of the speaker. It is often translated as “to give”, but in reality, it is more like “to do me a favor” or “to do something for me”.

Think of the English sentences “I was helped by Tanaka-san” and “Tanaka-san helped me.” Both mean the same thing, but they use different tenses: passive and active.

The same case happens in Japanese, but instead of tenses, we’re changing the conjugation form. In the sentence “Tanaka-san helped me,” it is implied that Tanaka performed the action as a favor to you. The idea of someone doing something “as a favor” is expressed through the てくれる (te kureru) function.

When the verb “くれる” (kureru) is combined with the te-form of another verb, it creates the expression “てくれる” (te kureru).

For example, let’s look at this sentence:

お父さんが車を直してくれた.
Otousan ga kuruma o naoshite kureta

This sentence means, “My father fixed the car for me”. Here, the verb “直す” (naosu) means “to fix”, and the te-form of the verb is “直して” (naoshite). By adding “くれる” (kureru), it becomes 直してくれた(naoshite kureta). The addition of “くれる” (kureru), albeit in the past tense, indicates that the father did the action of fixing the car for the benefit of the you.

Easy, right? Keep in mind that てくれる” (te kureru) is used to express gratitude towards the person who did the action. In other words, should only be used when the action is done for the benefit of the speaker.

Now, what happens if we flip the situation around?

私が友達にプレゼントを買ってくれた.
Watashi ga tomodachi ni purezento o katte kureta.
I brought my friend a present.

This example is wrong because くれる cannot be used with a first-person subject. あげる would be the appropriate verb choice in this case. Moreover, it indicates that you did the action of buying the present for the benefit of the friend, instead of the other way around.

~てあげる (~te ageru)

The verb “あげる” (ageru) is used when 内 (uchi) or watashi (私) is doing something for the benefit of someone else. When the verb “あげる” (ageru) is combined with the te-form of another verb, it creates the expression “てあげる” (te ageru).

私が彼女に手紙を書いてあげた.
Watashi ga kanojo ni tegami o kaite ageta

The example above means “I wrote a letter for her”. Here, the verb “書く” (kaku) means “to write”, and the te-form of the verb is “書いて” (kaite). You can simply say, 彼女に手紙を書きました (kanojo ni tegami o kakimashita), but the addition of “あげる” (ageru) emphasizes that the speaker did the action of writing the letter to help or give favor to the woman.

~てもらう (~te morau)

“てもらう” (te morau) is a common expression used to indicate that someone, or 外 (soto), does an action for 私 (watashi) . It is formed by combining the te-form of a verb with the verb “もらう” (morau), which means “to receive”. Together, “てもらう” (te morau) means “to receive the favor of someone doing something for you”.

So how are ~てもらう (~te morau) and ~てくれる (~te kureru) different?

With くれる (kureru), the person doing the favour is the subject, so it is marked with が. With もらう, you are the subject, and the person doing the favour is marked with に. This might seem complicated, but here are two examples to make things easier.

佐藤さんに待ってもらって、（私は）嬉しいです。
Satou san ni matte moratte, (watashi wa) ureshii desu.
I am happy that “I” have been kindly waited on by Satou-san

佐藤さんが待ってくれて、（私は）嬉しいです。
Satou-san ga matte kurete, (watashi wa) ureshii desu.
I am happy that “you” have kindly waited for me.

See how both technically expresses, “Satou-san waited for me”? How are they different?

Well, in the first sentence, by using もらう (morau), we’re focusing the act on “I” getting awaited by Satou-san. In the secon sentence, くれる (kureru) shifts the focus on the act of Satou-san waiting for you, and therefore, you’re showing appreciation for them.

Both still mean the same thing, right? Not necessarily. Remember when we said くれる (kureru) express gratitude towards the person who did the action. If you want to show appreciation for the person doing the act or favor to you, opt for くれる (kureru). もらう(morau) specifically highlights the receiving the action.

Polite forms of Ageru, Kureru, and Morau

The table below summarizes the main polite forms of ageru, kureru, and morau. Note that the desu/masu conjugations differ between verbs ending with る and う!

ない: Negative form of Ageru, Kureru, and Morau

Until now we have used just the positive form of ageru, kureru, and morau in our example sentences. Now let’s take a look at how to use it in the negative form.

あげる (ageru)・あげた (ageta) → あげない (agenai)・あげなかった (agenakatta)

私は佐藤さんに本をあげない（あげなかった）
watashi wa Sato-san ni hon wo agenai (agenakatta)
I will not give (did not give) Sato-san a book

くれる (kureru)・くれた (kureta) → くれない (kurenai)・くれなかった (kurenakatta)

佐藤さんは私に本をくれない（くれなかった）
Sato-san wa watashi ni hon o kurenai (kurenakatta)
Sato-san will not give (did not give) me a book

もらう (morau)・もらった (moratta) → もらわない (morawanai)・もらわなかった (morawanakatta)

私は佐藤さんに本をもらわない（もらわなかった）
watashi wa Sato-san ni hon o morawanai (morawanakatta)
I will not receive (did not receive) a book from Sato-san

あげる and くれる both end in る, which is replaced by ない to convert it to the negative form. On the other hand, もらう ends in う, which is replaced by あない, and furthermore changed to わない since もら ends with an ‘ah’ sound. 

Quiz: Kureru, Ageru, or Morau?

Choose the appropriate answer from the brackets:

1. 佐藤さんは鈴木さんに本を（あげました・くれました）。
2. 鈴木さんは佐藤さんに本を（もらいました・くれました）。
3. 私は高橋さんにえんぴつを（もらいました・くれました）。
4. 高橋さんは私に本を（あげました・くれました）。

Bonus Question:

Fill in the blanks so that the sentence has the following meaning: “The grandmother had her grandchild massage her shoulders”.

おばあさんは孫に肩をもんで（　　　　　　）。

Check the conclusion for the answers!

Conclusion

This wraps up our JLPT N5 Grammar guide on Ageru, Kureru, and Morau. With these basics, you should now be able to construct sentences that describe actions between or involving multiple people. However, there are still many more verb conjugations that can be used with ageru, kureru, and more to broaden its use even further. Make sure to check out our conjugation lessons to learn more!

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Quiz answers:

1. あげました
2. もらいました
3. もらいました
4. くれました 

Bonus Q. もらった・もらいました