Meaning & Usage
✨ Basic Meaning
To receive the benefit or favor of an action performed by someone else. Literally, ‘to receive [someone’s action].’
🎯 Primary Function
To indicate that the subject (usually the speaker) has received a favor or service from another person, emphasizing the speaker’s benefit and inherent gratitude.
📋 Grammar Structure
Verb Te-form + もらう
N/A (Used with verbs)
N/A (Used with verbs)
V-て form + もらわない (Do not receive the favor)
🎭 Usage Contexts
Formal Situations
Used by conjugating もらう into its polite form (もらいます) or humble form (ていただく) for superiors.
Informal Situations
Used casually with friends and family (もらう or もらった).
Written Language
Used in dialogue and informal writings, though the more formal ていただく is preferred in business or academic writing.
Spoken Language
Extremely common in spoken Japanese to express thanks and describe past actions.
💡 Common Applications
Expressing gratitude for a personal favor.
Used when the speaker is the beneficiary of an action and wants to acknowledge the giver.
Example: 妹に誕生日ケーキを作ってもらいました。
Making a request (using the potential/negative form).
The form “てもらう” can be used as the basis for polite requests (e.g., てもらえませんか/てもらえる？).
Example: この荷物を運んでもらえませんか？
Indicating who performed a necessary task for the speaker.
Used to clarify that the successful completion of a task was due to someone else’s effort on your behalf.
Example: 不動産屋に良いアパートを探してもらった。
Frequency
High frequency in daily conversation.
Difficulty
N4 Intermediate
Tag:
Example Sentences
Example #1
友達に引っ越しを手伝ってもらった。
Furigana: ともだちにひっこしをてつだってもらった。
Romaji: Tomodachi ni hikkoshi o tetsudatte moratta.
English: My friend helped me move house.
Example #2
先生に作文を見てもらった。
Furigana: せんせいにさくぶんをみてもらった。
Romaji: Sensei ni sakubun o mite moratta.
English: I had the teacher look over my essay.
Example #3
母に新しい辞書を買ってもらった。
Furigana: ははにあたらしいじしょをかってもらった。
Romaji: Haha ni atarashii jisho o katte moratta.
English: I asked my mother to buy me a new dictionary.
Example #4
整備士に車を修理してもらった。
Furigana: せいびしにくるまをしゅうりしてもらった。
Romaji: Seibishi ni kuruma o shūri shite moratta.
English: I had the mechanic fix my car.
Example #5
お金を少し貸してもらえませんか。
Furigana: おかねをすこしかしてもらえませんか。
Romaji: Okane o sukoshi kashite moraemasen ka.
English: Can I ask you to lend me a little money? (Polite request)
Example #6
後輩に機械の使い方を見せてもらった。
Furigana: こうはいにきかいのつかいかたをみせてもらった。
Romaji: Kōhai ni kikai no tsukaikata o misete moratta.
English: I had my junior show me how to use the new machine.
Example #7
上司にレポートを確認してもらった。
Furigana: じょうしにレポートをかくにんしてもらった。
Romaji: Jōshi ni repōto o kakunin shite moratta.
English: I received the benefit of having the report checked by my boss.
Example #8
彼に予約を取ってもらって、入れた。
Furigana: かれによやくをとってもらって、はいれた。
Romaji: Kare ni yoyaku o totte moratte, haireta.
English: Thanks to him booking a reservation for me, I was able to enter.
Example #9
医者によく診てもらったので安心した。
Furigana: いしゃによくみてもらったのであんしんした。
Romaji: Isha ni yoku mite moratta node anshin shita.
English: I was relieved because the doctor examined me carefully.
Example #10
コンビニの店員に書類をコピーしてもらった。
Furigana: コンビニのてんいんにしょるいをコピーしてもらった。
Romaji: Konbini no ten’in ni shorui o kopī shite moratta.
English: I asked the clerk at the convenience store to copy the documents for me.
Notes & Nuances
📌 Important Points
The Giver is marked by に
The particle に (ni) always marks the person who performs the action (the giver). This is a key difference from てくれる where the giver can be marked by が.
Example: 先生に間違いを直してもらって、感謝しています。
Can be used for a third-person receiver
Although the speaker is usually the subject, the pattern can be used for a third person receiving a benefit from another third person. The subject (receiver) is marked by は or が.
Example: 山田さんは田中さんに資料を作ってもらいました。
Basis for polite requests and permission
This structure is the basis for a common type of polite permission request (e.g., “Would it be alright if I received the favor of you reading this?”).
Example: 本を読んでもらってもいいですか？
⚠️ Common Mistakes
❌ 友達が手伝ってもらった。
✅ 友達が手伝ってくれた。 or 友達に手伝ってもらった。
If the speaker uses が/は instead of に, it sounds like the friend received the favor, not the speaker. The person doing the favor must be marked by に.
❌ お金をて貸してもらう。
✅ 私のお金を貸してもらえませんか。
The object of the verb in the て form (お金を) goes before the structure. もらう simply follows the action being received.
❌ お父さんにお金を借りてもらった。
✅ お父さんにお金を借りた。
While てもらう emphasizes the *receiving* aspect and gratitude, a simple verb like 借りる (kariru – to borrow) is often more natural if the focus is purely on the action and not the emotional component of the favor.
🏛️ Cultural Context
Politeness Level: もらう is standard polite when used with ます, but ていただく is necessary when speaking to superiors (teachers, bosses, etc.).
Social Situations: Crucial for maintaining *wa* (harmony). Failing to acknowledge a favor using もらう (or いただく) can be considered impolite or ungrateful.
Regional Variations: The concept of receiving a favor is universally expressed, but regional dialects may use different polite/humble particles or auxiliary verbs.
🔍 Subtle Differences
てもらう vs. てくれる
てもらう focuses on the speaker’s benefit (receiving). てくれる focuses on the giver’s action (giving).
When to use: Use てもらう when emphasizing your gratitude or when you explicitly asked for the favor. Use てくれる when simply stating that someone did something beneficial for you.
てもらう vs. ていただく
てもらう is standard/plain. ていただく is the humble form, showing extreme respect to the person doing the favor.
When to use: Use ていただく for superiors (bosses, teachers, elders). Use てもらう (or てもらいます) for equals, juniors, or close family.
📝 Conjugation Notes
もらう is a Godan verb. Its forms are: Plain Present (もらう), Plain Past (もらった), Polite Present (もらいます), Polite Past (もらいました), Humble form (ていただく).
🔊 Pronunciation Tips
もらう is pronounced with a standard pitch accent, usually flat or slightly rising on ‘ra’. Ensure the ‘t’ in the te-form (e.g., tetsudatte) is properly geminated (double consonant pause).
🧠 Memory Tips
Relate ‘もらう’ (morau) to ‘to receive’ (like receiving a present). When you receive a favor (an action), you use ‘てもらう’. Visualize the action flowing *from* the giver *to* you.
Other Grammar
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