Learn Japanese easily! You are really getting used to these Japanese give and take verbs! Now is the time to focus on ageru. If you want to say things like “I bought my son a bike”, this is the verb for you! In this Lower Intermediate Japanese article, you will find detailed information about the verb ageru. We use it to express that someone gives something to another person. Be sure to check out the helpful examples and see which ones you can incorporate into your Japanese.
Vocabulary: In this article, you will learn the following words and phrases:
urayamashii – “envious, enviable”
seikaku – “character, personality”
for – “adapt, adapt”
otonashii – “quiet, gentle, soft”
waza waza – “take so much trouble”
kaesu – “to return something”
tsurete iku – “take someone” (verb 1)
honmei – “favorite, someone you like a lot”
Grammar: In this article, you will learn the following words and phrases:
Ageru is a class two verb that we use to express that someone gives something to someone. When ageru follow the –you form of another verb, it acts as an auxiliary verb that means “to do something for another person”. Note that the beneficiaries are not members of the internal group of the doer. (If the beneficiaries are members of the internal group of the doer, use “verb-te kureru”, which we explained in the previous lesson). We mark the maker with any of the particles Washington gold Georgia, while we mark the beneficiary with any of the particles or, or, gold for (depending on the verb you use). Remember that the author of the action and the recipient of the action should have roughly the same status.
Example 1 expresses that Keisuke is asking Koji, “Don’t you eat this chocolate to please her? Because she made it for you, and she must be happy when you eat it.”
Example 2, the context of the conversation is that Fuyuka gave Koji a chocolate on Valentine’s Day. Then, Keisuke asks if Koji will give Fuyuka something in return because he owes her and wants to make her happy. The beneficiary in this example is Fuyuka marked with the particle or because the main verb kaesu (“return”) goes with the particle or.
Example 3 expresses that Koji is taking Fuyuka to the movies as a token of appreciation that she gave him a chocolate on Valentine’s Day. The beneficiary in this example is Fuyuka marked with the particle or because the main verb tsureteiku goes with the particle or.
In these three examples, we cannot replace the verb ageru with the verb kureru because the beneficiary is not the speaker or a person from the speaker’s internal group.
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Example 1:
Tabete agenai, right?“Aren’t you going to eat this for her?”
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Example 2:
Fuyuka-chan ni nani ka kaeshite ageru right?“Are you going to give Fuyuka something in return?”
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Example 3:
Fuyuka-chan or eigakan e tsurete itte ageru n da.“I’m going to take her to the movies.”
Training
[doer] wa (ga) [beneficiary] neither (or, a) verb-you + ageru
Examples:
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Kyooko-san wa Mearii-san ni o-kane or kashite agemashita.
“Kyoko slows down Mary’s money.” -
Otooto wa tomodachi or kuukoo did okutte ageta.
“My brother took his friend to the airport.” -
Watashi wa musuko ni jitensha or katte ageta.
“I bought my son a bicycle.”
