〜てもらう — Japanese Grammar
〜てもらう: JLPT N4 grammar pattern. Usage, structure, examples, and comparison with similar patterns.
〜てもらう
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| Pattern | 〜てもらう |
| JLPT Level | N4 |
| Type | receiving |
| Formality | Neutral (Polite when conjugated to 〜てもらいます) |
| Register | Both (Spoken and Written) |
Meaning
The pattern 〜てもらう expresses that you receive the favor of someone doing an action for you. It highlights that you are the beneficiary of the action, often implying a sense of gratitude or that the action was performed at your request.
Structure Formula
[Verb て-form] + もらう
- Verb: Must be in the te-form.
- Subject: The person receiving the favor is the subject (often omitted if it is "I").
- Giver: The person performing the action is marked with the particle に (or sometimes から).
Detailed Explanation
The pattern 〜てもらう is used when someone does something for you, and you want to acknowledge that you are the recipient of that favor. Unlike simply stating that someone did an action, this pattern emphasizes the benefit received by the speaker.
Because もらう (to receive) is a humble verb, it is used when the speaker is the one receiving the favor. If you are talking about someone else receiving a favor, you would use 〜てもらう as well, but if you are describing someone doing a favor for you in a more polite or formal context, you might use 〜ていただく (the humble form).
The particle に is used to indicate the person who performed the action. For example, Tanaka-san ni oshiete moratta (I had Tanaka-san teach me). If you want to emphasize the source of the favor, から can also be used, though に is more common when focusing on the person who performed the specific task.
This pattern is essential for expressing gratitude or explaining arrangements. It is versatile and can be used in casual settings (e.g., yatte moratta) or polite settings (e.g., yatte moraimashita).
Example Sentences
| Japanese | Reading | Romaji | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 友達に宿題を手伝ってもらった。 | 友(とも)達(だち)に宿(しゅく)題(だい)を 手(て)伝(つだ)ってもらった。 |
Tomodachi ni shukudai o tetsudatte moratta. | I had a friend help me with my homework. |
| 先生に日本語を教えてもらいました。 | 先(せん)生(せい)に日(に)本(ほん)語(ご)を 教(おし)えてもらいました。 |
Sensei ni Nihongo o oshiete moraimashita. | I had the teacher teach me Japanese. |
| 父に車を直してもらった。 | 父(ちち)に車(くるま)を 直(なお)してもらった。 |
Chichi ni kuruma o naoshite moratta. | I had my father fix my car. |
| 医者に診てもらった。 | 医(い)者(しゃ)に 診(み)てもらった。 |
Isha ni mite moratta. | I had a doctor examine me. |
| 誰にこの本を借りたの？ 田中さんに貸してもらった。 |
誰(だれ)にこの本(ほん)を 借(か)りたの？ 田(た)中(なか)さんに 貸(か)してもらった。 |
Dare ni kono hon o karita no? Tanaka-san ni kashite moratta. |
Who did you borrow this book from? I had Tanaka-san lend it to me. |
| 母に料理を作ってもらいました。 | 母(はは)に料(りょう)理(り)を 作(つく)ってもらいました。 |
Haha ni ryouri o tsukutte moraimashita. | I had my mother cook a meal for me. |
| 髪を美容師に切ってもらった。 | 髪(かみ)を美(び)容(よう)師(し)に 切(き)ってもらった。 |
Kami o biyoushi ni kitte moratta. | I had the hairdresser cut my hair. |
| 友達に駅まで送ってもらった。 | 友(とも)達(だち)に駅(えき)まで 送(おく)ってもらった。 |
Tomodachi ni eki made okutte moratta. | I had a friend drive me to the station. |
Comparison with Similar Patterns
〜てもらう vs 〜てあげる vs 〜てくれる
| Pattern | Nuance |
|---|---|
| 〜てあげる | I do a favor for someone else. |
| 〜てくれる | Someone does a favor for me (focus on the giver). |
| 〜てもらう | I receive a favor from someone (focus on the receiver). |
- 〜てくれる: Focuses on the giver's action. (e.g., Tanaka-san ga kureta - Tanaka-san gave me the favor).
- 〜てもらう: Focuses on the receiver's benefit. (e.g., Tanaka-san ni shite moratta - I received the favor from Tanaka-san).
Common Mistakes
-
Confusing the particle: Learners often use が instead of に for the person doing the favor. ❌ 友達が手伝ってもらった。 → ✓ 友達に手伝ってもらった。 Explanation: The person performing the action must be marked with に.
-
Using it for one's own actions: You cannot use this for things you do yourself. ❌ 自分で料理を作ってもらった。 → ✓ 自分で料理を作った。 Explanation: You cannot "receive" a favor from yourself.
-
Mixing up the direction: Using it when you are the one doing the favor. ❌ 友達に宿題を手伝ってもらった。(When you actually helped the friend) → ✓ 友達の宿題を手伝ってあげた。
Practice Exercises
Fill in the blank (use the correct form of 〜てもらう):
- 私は母に服を（ ）。(buy)
- 友達に写真を（ ）。(take)
- 先生に漢字を（ ）。(explain)
- 兄にパソコンを（ ）。(fix)
- 誰にその手紙を（ ）？(write)
Answer Key:
- 買ってもらった (katte moratta) - I had my mother buy clothes for me.
- 撮ってもらった (totte moratta) - I had a friend take a photo.
- 説明してもらった (setsumei shite moratta) - I had the teacher explain the kanji.
- 直してもらった (naoshite moratta) - I had my older brother fix the computer.
- 書いてもらったの？ (kaite moratta no?) - Did you have someone write that letter for you?
JLPT Level Notes
In the JLPT N4, this pattern often appears in "ordering" questions (rearranging words to form a sentence) or reading comprehension. Remember: に marks the person doing the favor, and the verb must be in the て-form. Watch out for the distinction between 〜てくれる (they did it for me) and 〜てもらう (I had them do it for me).