くれる
Someone gives to me
You’ll be able to describe someone giving something to you or your inner circle.
先生が私にノートをくれました。
sensei ga watashi ni nooto o kuremashita.
What do you think this sentence means?
My teacher gave me a notebook.
Describe someone giving something to you or your side
Use くれる when someone gives something to you or to someone you view as part of your close in-group. This choice of verb shows the gift moving toward your side.
田中さんがお土産をくれました。
tanaka-san ga omiyage o kuremashita.
Tanaka-san gave me a souvenir.
Giver は/が receiver に thing を くれる
The giver is the subject. The receiver is usually 私 or someone close to the speaker, and 私に is often omitted when obvious.
母が私に時計をくれました。
haha ga watashi ni tokei o kuremashita.
My mother gave me a watch.
友達がお土産をくれました。
tomodachi ga omiyage o kuremashita.
My friend gave me a souvenir.
先生が妹に本をくれました。
sensei ga imouto ni hon o kuremashita.
The teacher gave my younger sister a book.
あげる vs くれる
Both mean “give”, and the direction decides. あげる moves away from you; くれる moves toward you or someone close to you.
くれる, toward me
友達が私に本をくれました。
tomodachi ga watashi ni hon o kuremashita.
My friend gave me a book.
The book ends up with you.
あげる, away from me
私は友達に本をあげました。
watashi wa tomodachi ni hon o agemashita.
I gave my friend a book.
The book leaves you.
友達が本をくれました。
tomodachi ga hon o kuremashita.
A friend gave me a book.
母が私に時計をくれました。
haha ga watashi ni tokei o kuremashita.
My mother gave me a watch.
先生が私にノートをくれました。
sensei ga watashi ni nooto o kuremashita.
My teacher gave me a notebook.
7 more examples in the grammar path — free for a limited time.