もらう (morau) - to receive

This grammar focuses on the person who receives the item. In English, we often say "My friend gave me a book." In Japanese, using もらう changes the focus. You would say "I received a book from my friend." The subject is usually "I" or someone you are close to. The person who gives the item is marked with a specific particle. You can use に or から to mark the giver. Both are common, but に feels a bit more personal. から is great when the giver is an institution. For example, receiving a scholarship from a school. It is like a grammar traffic light. It tells us exactly which way the gift is moving. The object being received is marked with を. It is a very logical and clean structure.

1. 1To build a sentence with もらう, follow these steps:
2. 2Start with the receiver (usually you). Add the particle は.
3. 3Mention the giver next. Add the particle に or から.
4. 4State the object being received. Add the particle を.
5. 5End the sentence with もらう or its polite form もらいます.
6. 6Pattern: [Receiver] は [Giver] に/から [Object] を もらう。
7. 7Example: 私は (Receiver) 友達に (Giver) お菓子を (Object) もらいました (Verb).

Use もらう whenever you receive a physical object. This happens a lot on birthdays or holidays. It is perfect for when a friend gives you a souvenir. You can also use it in real-world scenarios like work. Imagine receiving a business card during a job interview. You would use もらう to describe that action. It is also used when you receive information. If a stranger gives you directions, you "received" that help. Even receiving an email or a text message fits here. It shows that you acknowledge the giver's action. It is a warm way to talk about your interactions. It highlights the kindness of others toward you. Plus, your bank account will thank you when you receive a bonus!

Do not use もらう when you are the giver. That is a very common mix-up! If you are giving, use あげる instead. Also, be careful with social hierarchy. If you receive something from a boss, もらう might be too casual. In very formal settings, we use いただく. Think of もらう as the "equal or lower" verb. Use it with friends, family, or people of similar status. Don't use it for things you just "took" without permission. It implies a voluntary transfer from the giver. It is not for stealing or finding things on the street! Finally, don't use it if the giver is the subject. If you want the giver to be the subject, use くれる.

Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes! The biggest mistake is the subject-object flip. Learners often say "Friend received me a gift." This makes no sense in Japanese. Always remember: the receiver is the subject of もらう. Another mistake is using the wrong particle for the giver. Avoid using が for the giver when using もらう. If you use が, the sentence structure changes completely. Also, don't forget the polite form もらいました in formal situations. Using the dictionary form もらう with a teacher is a bit rude. It is like wearing pajamas to a wedding. Keep it polite until you are close friends!

Let's compare もらう with its cousin, くれる. Both involve receiving, but the perspective is different. With もらう, "I" am the subject doing the receiving. With くれる, "The Giver" is the subject doing the giving to me. It is like looking at the same coin from two sides. If you want to emphasize your gratitude, もらう is great. If you want to emphasize the giver's kindness, use くれる. Also, contrast it with あげる. あげる is the opposite; the item goes away from you. Imagine an arrow. For もらう, the arrow points at you. For あげる, the arrow points away. Visualizing these arrows helps a lot with Japanese logic.