～てもらう (te morau) - Receiving a Favor

In English, we often say "I had him do it." Or we say "He did it for me." Japanese uses te morau to focus on the receiver. The person who gets the favor is the subject. We mark this person with the particle wa or ga. Usually, this person is you, the speaker. The person who does the favor is the giver. We mark the giver with the particle ni. This ni shows the source of the action. Then, we take the verb of the action. We turn that verb into the te-form. Finally, we add the verb morau at the end. It literally means "I receive the doing of X."

1. 1Identify the action being done for you.
2. 2Change that action verb into its te-form.
3. 3For Group 1 verbs, change the final sound. (e.g., kaku becomes kaite).
4. 4For Group 2 verbs, replace ru with te. (e.g., taberu becomes tabete).
5. 5For Group 3 verbs, use shite or kite.
6. 6Add the helping verb morau after the te-form.
7. 7Use ni to mark the person doing the work.
8. 8Use wa to mark yourself as the receiver.

Use this when you ask someone for help. For example, asking a friend to check your homework. Use it when someone does something nice voluntarily. Imagine a stranger picking up your dropped wallet. You would use te morau to describe the event. It is perfect for professional settings too. You use it when a colleague helps with a report. It is also great for service situations. Use it when a doctor explains a medical result. It highlights that you appreciate the time they spent. It makes your Japanese sound humble and very polite. Your cat might not care, but humans definitely will!

Do not use this for your own actions. You cannot "receive" an action from yourself. That would be like trying to hug yourself. It just feels a bit awkward and weird. Avoid using it for people much higher than you. For a boss or teacher, use itadaku instead. Itadaku is the humble version of morau. Using morau for a CEO might sound too casual. Also, do not use it for negative actions. If someone hits you, you didn't "receive a favor." That would be the passive voice, not this pattern. This pattern is strictly for positive or neutral benefits.

Many people use the wrong particle for the giver. They often want to use ga or wa. Remember, the giver is the source, so use ni. Another mistake is forgetting the te-form. You cannot say taberu morau. It must be tabete morau. Some people also confuse this with te kureru. If you are the subject, use te morau. If the giver is the subject, use te kureru. It is like a mirror image of the same act. Don't let the particles trip you up. Just remember: ni points to the person working.

Let's compare te morau with te kureru. Both mean someone did something for you. In te kureru, the focus is on their kindness. "They gave me the favor of doing it." In te morau, the focus is on your receipt. "I received the favor of them doing it." It is a subtle shift in perspective. Think of it like a camera angle. Te kureru puts the camera on your friend. Te morau puts the camera on you. Both are correct, but te morau sounds more intentional. It often implies you requested the action yourself.