もらう
Receive something from someone
You’ll be able to say you received something and specify who you received it from.
誕生日に祖父からカメラをもらいました。
tanjoubi ni sofu kara kamera o moraimashita.
What do you think this sentence means?
I got a camera from my grandfather for my birthday.
Describe receiving something from someone
Use もらう from the receiver’s point of view. Mark the giver with に or から and the thing received with を.
私は友達に本をもらいました。
watashi wa tomodachi ni hon o moraimashita.
I received a book from a friend.
Receiver は giver に/から thing を もらう
Make the receiver the topic or subject. Use に or から for the source and を for the received item.
私は母に時計をもらいました。
watashi wa haha ni tokei o moraimashita.
I received a watch from my mother.
ミアは友達から手紙をもらいました。
mia wa tomodachi kara tegami o moraimashita.
Mia received a letter from a friend.
弟は先生に本をもらいました。
otouto wa sensei ni hon o moraimashita.
My younger brother received a book from his teacher.
Use から freely with organizations and sources
から is especially natural when the source is an organization, store, school, or other source rather than a person.
学校から資料をもらいました。
gakkou kara shiryou o moraimashita.
I received materials from the school.
会社からメールをもらいました。
kaisha kara meeru o moraimashita.
I received an email from the company.
店からクーポンをもらいました。
mise kara kuupon o moraimashita.
I received a coupon from the store.
くれる vs もらう
The same event from two angles. くれる puts the giver in charge of the sentence; もらう puts the receiver there.
もらう, I received
私は友達に本をもらいました。
watashi wa tomodachi ni hon o moraimashita.
I received a book from a friend.
You are the subject, and the friend takes に.
くれる, they gave
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 friend is the subject, and you take に.
私は友達から手紙をもらいました。
watashi wa tomodachi kara tegami o moraimashita.
I received a letter from a friend.
誕生日に父から時計をもらいました。
tanjoubi ni chichi kara tokei o moraimashita.
I got a watch from my father for my birthday.
妹は母に新しい靴をもらいました。
imouto wa haha ni atarashii kutsu o moraimashita.
My younger sister got new shoes from our mother.
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