Say to Give in Japanese: Ageru, Kureru, Morau, Choudai

How do you say to give in Japanese?

Well, there are two ways, ageru vs kureru. There’s also morau but we’ll talk more.. aw…bout this after. See what I did there? No, it’s okay. Anyway….

For you to master ageru vs kureru FAST, I want you to remember this one rule.

You may think you have figured it out or not… but one sec. There are some nuances. But remembering these 2 phrases well help you say to give in Japanese.

So keep ’em in mind and let’s move on.

Ageru (あげる)

So…

One of the most straightforward ways to say to give in Japanese is あげる (ageru).

But, ageru is only when YOU give someone something. As in, “I give you this. I give her that. I gave him the other.”

You can only use “ageru”with people who are equal to or below you in status. Like with friends and family.

Here are some examples of how to use ageru.

Making it Polite

You can also make this phrase a bit politer by adding ます(masu).

In this example, you are talking about your actions to someone else. Instead of directly giving, it is more like explaining what you will do tomorrow. 

Te-Ageru form

Ageru is also often combined with て(te) to show that you’ll be doing something for someone else.

Talking to People Above You

If you want to say to give in Japanese…

To someone of higher social status than you…

it is better to ask them to receive rather than say that you will give it. For example, if you have some extra leftover cakes, you can tell people in the company to take them home.

Or literally, “please receive it.”

Kureru (くれる)

Next up is kureru.

Unlike あげる(ageru), くれる (kureru) means someone ELSE giving something to someone (including YOU.).

Hence, “they kureru.” It’s about others giving something to someone.

The giver is the main subject of the sentence.

This concept can be confusing to some Japanese learners, so here are some examples.

Notice how the giver is giving something to the receiver in this example.

You can also use kureru with te to connect a verb.

It also follows a similar pattern to the first example, except with a verb instead of an object.

Compared to あげる(ageru), くれる (kureru) is more suitable in formal situations.

The polite form of くれる (kureru) is くださる(kudasaru). If your teacher gave you a book, you might talk about the situation with this sentence:

It’s also possible to use くれる (kureru) as a question to ask if someone can give you something.

Another informal and rude way you might see the verb is as a command. 

If you’re reading up to here…

Now, you know the difference between ageru vs kureru.

Morau (もらう)

もらう(morau) is a verb that means “to receive” or “to get,” you can use it when someone gives something, and the subject is on the receiver. Unlike くれる (kureru), which is about someone giving something, you can think of this verb as receiving or being given. 

Here are some example sentences for もらう(morau).

You can also transform this into a politer form by adding ます (masu).

You can use this with acquaintances, friends, and family. 

If you’re talking to someone or about someone of higher social status than you, you might want to use the polite version of もらう(morau), which is いただく(itadaku). For example, if you received a beautiful kimono from your teacher that you admire, you could say something like this:

Extra Ways to Say Give in Japanese

Outside of あげる(ageru), くれる(kureru), and もらう(morau), many more expressions relate to giving and receiving. These expressions can be helpful if you’re looking for further phrases beyond the three main giving and receiving verbs.

1. Choudai (ちょうだい)

If you want to know the meaning for Choudai… well, it’s simply “a gimme.” It’s a childish way of asking for things. Choudai is super informal. So, keep that in mind if you want to use it.

2. Suru (する）

Suru can be a helpful verb when you want to say “to give” in a way you might use in English.

Here are some examples where “give” is used in English but doesn’t necessarily translate directly to Japanese.

3. Watasu (渡す）

You can use this verb when you mean “to hand over,” which you can translate to “give” in some contexts. It is when the giver is near something you want them to pass over to you.

4. Sazukaru (授かる）

Another verb you can use for giving is “sazukaru,” which means something with the nuance of “bestow” or “grant.” Usually, it is something grand that you receive, like an heirloom, treasure, or knowledge.

Read This Last

So, to say give in Japanese… and understand ageru vs kureru…

You just need to remember this one formula:

As for morau vs kureru or anything, there’s no need to mix these up.

Morau is to receive, not give.

So, I hope I was able to tetsudatte ageru a bit here (using ageru because I am talking about myself – meaning I) giving you help.)

Leave a comment if you have any questions.

The Main Lingua Junkie