Meaning & Usage
โจ Basic Meaning
To do something for the benefit of another person. It literally means ‘to give’ (ใใใ) the action (represented by the Te-form).
๐ฏ Primary Function
Expresses that the subject (the giver) performs an action as a favor, service, or gift for the recipient (marked by the particle ใซ).
๐ Grammar Structure
Verb (ใฆ-form) + ใใใ
N/A (Does not attach to i-adjectives directly)
N/A (Does not attach to na-adjectives directly)
Verb (ใฆ-form) + ใใใชใ
๐ญ Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Generally avoided or used with great caution. Use ใใฆใใใใใ (shite sashiageru) or other humble expressions when addressing superiors. It is acceptable when speaking about someone else doing a favor for a lower-status person.
Informal Situations
Very common and natural when speaking to close friends, family members, children, or those of clearly lower social status.
Written Language
Used in dialogue, casual correspondence, or narratives where the context of the favor is clear.
Spoken Language
Highly frequent in casual conversation. The speaker must be aware of their relationship with the listener/recipient.
๐ก Common Applications
Offering assistance or a service
Used when the speaker proactively offers to perform an action that will benefit the listener or a third party.
Example: ้ใ่ท็ฉใ้ใใงใใใพใใใใใ (Omoi nimotsu o hakonde agemashล ka. – Shall I carry the heavy luggage for you?)
Describing a completed favor
Used to describe an action performed in the past where the subject provided a service or gift to the recipient.
Example: ๅผใซๆฐใใ่ช่ปข่ปใ่ฒทใฃใฆใใใใ (Otลto ni atarashii jitensha o katte ageta. – I bought a new bicycle for my younger brother.)
Describing actions between third parties
Used to report that a third party performed a favor for another third party. This usage avoids the politeness issues of direct address.
Example: ๆฏใ็ถใซใปใผใฟใผใ็ทจใใงใใใใ (Haha ga chichi ni sฤtฤ o ande ageta. – My mother knitted a sweater for my father.)
Frequency
High (Core conversational grammar)
Difficulty
Medium (Easy structure, tricky politeness nuance)
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
็งใฏใใใชใใซๅฎฟ้กใๆไผใฃใฆใใใพใใ
Furigana: ็งใใใใชใใซใใ
ใใ ใใใฆใคใ ใฃใใใใพใใ
Romaji: Watashi wa, anata ni shukudai o tetsudatte agemasu.
English: I will help you with your homework.
Example #2
ๆฏใฏ็งใซๆฐใใใใฌในใ่ฒทใฃใฆใใใพใใใ
Furigana: ใฏใฏใฏใใใใซใใใใใคใใฌในใใใฃใใใพใใใ
Romaji: Haha wa watashi ni atarashii doresu o katte agemashita.
English: My mother bought me a new dress.
Example #3
ๅ
็ใฏๅญฆ็ใซๆฐๅญฆใๆใใฆใใใพใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใใฏใใใใใซใใใใใใใใใฃใใใพใใใ
Romaji: Sensei wa gakusei ni sลซgaku o oshiete agemashita.
English: The teacher taught the students math.
Example #4
็งใฏๅ้ใซๅฃใใๆค
ๅญใ็ดใใฆใใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใฏใจใใ ใกใซใใใใใใใใชใใใฃใใใใ
Romaji: Watashi wa tomodachi ni kowareta isu o naoshite ageta.
English: I fixed the broken chair for my friend.
Example #5
ใ้ใ่ฒธใใฆใใใพใใใใใ
Furigana: ใใใญใใใใฃใใใพใใใใใ
Romaji: Okane o kashite agemashล ka.
English: Shall I lend you some money? (Offering a favor)
Example #6
ๅฆนใซใฑใผใญใไฝใฃใฆใใใใ
Furigana: ใใใใจใซใฑใผใญใใคใใฃใใใใ
Romaji: Imลto ni kฤki o tsukutte ageta.
English: I made a cake for my little sister.
Example #7
ๅฝผใฏๅฝผๅฅณใซ่ท็ฉใ้ใฃใฆใใใพใใใ
Furigana: ใใใฏใใฎใใใซใซใใคใใใใฃใใใพใใใ
Romaji: Kare wa kanojo ni nimotsu o okutte agemashita.
English: He sent the package to her.
Example #8
ใฟใฏใทใผใๅผใใงใใใพใใใใใ
Furigana: ใฟใฏใทใผใใใใใใพใใใใใ
Romaji: Takushฤซ o yonde agemashล ka.
English: I will call a taxi for you.
Example #9
ๅฟ้
ใใชใใงใ้จๅฑใๆ้คใใฆใใใพใใ
Furigana: ใใใฑใใใชใใฃใงใใธใใใใใใใฃใใใพใใ
Romaji: Shinpai shinaide, heya o sลji shite agemasu.
English: Don’t worry, I’ll clean the room for you.
Example #10
ๅญไพใซๆฌใ่ชญใใงใใใพใใใ
Furigana: ใใฉใใซใปใใใใใใใพใใใ
Romaji: Kodomo ni hon o yonde agemashita.
English: I read the book for the child.
Notes & Nuances
๐ Important Points
Recipient is marked by ใซ
The recipient of the favor is typically marked by the particle ใซ (ni). Subject (giver) + Recipient (ใซ) + Action (ใฆใใใ).
Example: ๅ้ใซๆฌใ่ชญใใงใใใใ(Tomodachi ni hon o yonde ageta.)
Used for pets and plants
ใฆใใใ is the standard pattern used when the recipient is an animal or plant, as these recipients are always considered “inferior” in status.
Example: ็ฌใซๆฐดใใใใใ(Inu ni mizu o ageta.)
Third-person reporting is safer
While risky when talking *to* a superior, it is perfectly fine to talk *about* a third party doing a favor for another third party, provided the context is respectful.
Example: ็ฐไธญใใใไฝ่คใใใซ่ณๆใๆธกใใฆใใใใ(Tanaka-san ga Satล-san ni shiryล o watashite ageta.)
โ ๏ธ Common Mistakes
โ ๅ
็ใซๆไผใฃใฆใใใพใใ (Sensei ni tetsudatte agemasu.)
โ
ๅ
็ใซๆไผใฃใฆใใใใใพใใ (Sensei ni tetsudatte sashiagemasu.)
ใฆใใใ is generally too familiar or presumptuous to use towards superiors (such as a teacher or boss). Use the highly formal ใใใใใ (sashiageru) instead.
โ ็งใฏ่ชๅใฎใใใซใณใผใใผใๆทนใใฆใใใใ (Watashi wa jibun no tame ni kลhฤซ o irete ageta.)
โ
็งใฏ่ชๅใงใณใผใใผใๆทนใใใ (Watashi wa jibun de kลhฤซ o ireta.)
ใฆใใใ implies doing a favor for *someone else*. You cannot use it to describe an action you did for yourself.
โ ๅฆนใ็งใซใ่ๅญใ่ฒทใฃใฆใใใใ (Imลto ga watashi ni okashi o katte ageta.)
โ
ๅฆนใ็งใซใ่ๅญใ่ฒทใฃใฆใใใใ (Imลto ga watashi ni okashi o katte kureta.)
When the recipient is *the speaker*, the pattern ใฆใใใ (te kureru) must be used. ใฆใใใ is only used when the recipient is *not* the speaker.
๐๏ธ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: Low Politeness / Casual. It places the speaker in a position of ‘giver,’ which can feel slightly superior.
Social Situations: Appropriate when speaking to family, children, pets, or close friends who are considered equals or inferiors. Avoid in professional or hierarchical settings.
Regional Variations: The concept of giving/receiving is universal, but regional dialects may use different helper verbs (e.g., using ใใ (yaru) in very casual contexts or specific dialects, which is generally considered rougher than ใใใ).
๐ Subtle Differences
ใฆใใใ (te ageru) vs. ใฆใใใ (te kureru)
ใฆใใใ is used when the speaker *gives* a favor to someone else. ใฆใใใ is used when someone *gives* a favor to the speaker (or the speaker’s in-group).
When to use: Use ใฆใใใ when you are the benefactor, and ใฆใใใ when you are the beneficiary.
ใฆใใใ (te ageru) vs. ใฆใใใใใ (te sashiageru)
ใฆใใใใใ is the honorific, extremely humble form of ใฆใใใ, used to show ultimate respect to the recipient.
When to use: Use ใฆใใใใใ for bosses, clients, elders, or anyone you need to show high respect to. Use ใฆใใใ for friends and family.
ใฆใใใ (te ageru) vs. ใฆใใ (te yaru)
ใฆใใ is the casual/rough version of ใฆใใใ, often used for animals, children, or sometimes in rough male speech. It can sound condescending.
When to use: Use ใฆใใใ as the standard. Only use ใฆใใ in extremely casual situations, often when the recipient is much lower in status (like a pet).
๐ Conjugation Notes
ใใใ (ageru) is an Ichidan verb and conjugates regularly (e.g., ใใใพใ, ใใใ, ใใใชใ, ใใใใใ). The verb that precedes it must always be in the ใฆ-form.
๐ Pronunciation Tips
The Te-form of the preceding verb and the word ใใใ should be pronounced together fluently, almost like a single compound verb. Pay attention to the sound changes in the Te-form (e.g., ้ฃฒใ -> ้ฃฒใใง).
๐ง Memory Tips
Remember the base verb ใใใ means “to give.” ใฆใใใ means “to give the action.” If you are the one “giving” the action, use ใฆใใใ. If the action is “coming to you,” use ใฆใใใ (te kureru).
Other Grammar
Iโm a software engineer based in Japan, with experience in developing web and mobile applications. Iโm passionate about technology, especially in DevOps, AI, and app development using platforms like AWS, Flutter, and Node.js. My goal is to build a website that shares knowledge about the Japanese language and IT, helping everyone learn and grow more easily in the digital era.