Japanese has unique expressions that are difficult to translate directly into English. A prime example is "Giving and Receiving Verbs".
It's not just about stating facts like "someone did something". You can embed a feeling of gratitude—that "thanks to someone, I was helped" or "I received a benefit"—directly into the grammar.
1. Basic Structure of "～てもらいます"
Use "～てもらいます (～te moraimasu)" when someone does something for you, and you "receive" that action (benefit from it).
(I) receive (action) from (person).
There are two key points here:
- The Subject is "I" (わたし).
- The person doing the action is marked with the particle "に".
Let's look at examples
私は 田中さん に 日本語 を 教えてもらいました。
わたしは たなかさんに にほんごを おしえて もらいました
Mr. Tanaka taught me Japanese.
(Literal: I received the favor of teaching Japanese from Mr.
Tanaka.)
私は 友達 に 料理 を 作ってもらいます。
わたしは ともだちに りょうりを つくって もらいます
My friend will cook for me.
(Literal: I will receive the favor of cooking from my friend.)
2. Difference from "～てくれます" (～te kuremasu)? (Critical!)
The most common confusion for learners is the difference from "～てくれます".
Actually, the facts describing the situation are identical, but the
"Camera Angle (Subject)" is different.
| Grammar | Subject | Particle for Giver | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| ～てもらいます | I (Watashi) | ni | Focus on "Me receiving" (I got help.) |
| ～てくれます | Giver (Person) | ga | Focus on "Giver doing" (They gave help.) |
The following two sentences describe the exact same situation:
-
① I received the favor of lending an umbrella from Mr. Yamada.
(私は山田さんに傘を貸してもらいました / わたしは やまださんに かさを かして もらいました)
Subject: I. Emphasizes my benefit. -
② Mr. Yamada gave me the favor of lending an umbrella.
(山田さんは私に傘を貸してくれました。 / やまださんは わたしに かさを かして くれました。)
Subject: Mr. Yamada. Emphasizes his kindness.
Use "～てもらいます" when you want to express your own gratitude or imply "I was saved thanks to this". It sounds humble because the subject is "I".
3. Polite Version: "～ていただきます" (～te itadakimasu)
When you receive a favor from a superior (teacher, boss, senior), change "もらいます" to its Humble Form: "いただきます". This is essential in business.
先生 に 作文 を 直していただきました。
せんせいに さくぶんを なおして いただきました
The teacher corrected my essay (and I am grateful).
社長 に 手紙 を 書いていただきました。
しゃちょうに てがみを かいて いただきました
The company president wrote a letter for me.
4. FAQ: "に" VS "から"
The particle indicating the giver is usually "に", but "から" can also be used in some cases.
- From a Person: "に" is standard. ("から" is also okay)
e.g. 友達(ともだち)に借(か)りました (Borrowed from a friend) - From an Organization/School: Use "から".
e.g. 大学(だいがく)から奨学金(しょうがくきん)を払(はら)ってもらいました (Received scholarship payment from the university.)
5. Summary
"～てもらいます" is a beautiful grammar point that reflects the Japanese spirit of humility and "thanks to you".
Has anyone done something kind for you recently? Try expressing it using "Watashi wa [Person] ni [Verb]てもらいました".
- Ex: 彼(かれ)に荷物(にもつ)を持(も)ってもらいました。 (He held my luggage for me.)
- Ex: 店員(てんいん)さんに写真(しゃしん)を撮(と)ってもらいました。 (The staff took a photo for me.)
⚡ Practice Quiz
Check your understanding of "～てもらいます"!