に vs から with Giving and Receiving Verbs

In English, we simply say "I received a gift from Tanaka." In Japanese, the focus is on the direction of the item. The particle に acts like a target marker. It points to the person you interacted with directly. The particle から acts like a starting point marker. It shows where the item originated. When you use もらう (to receive), the giver is the source. Most of the time, you can use に for people. It feels personal and direct. から is also okay for people, but it feels a bit more distant. It emphasizes the movement from point A to point B. For organizations, the rule is stricter. You cannot use に for a company or a school. You must use から because they are institutions, not individuals. It is like the difference between getting a hug and getting a tax refund.

1. 1To build these sentences, follow these simple steps:
2. 2Start with the receiver (usually you, so it is often omitted).
3. 3Add the giver or source followed by the particle.
4. 4Add the object being received followed by を.
5. 5End with the verb もらう or its polite form もらいました.
6. 6Pattern A (Person as source):
7. 7[Giver] に / から [Object] を もらう.
8. 8Example: 田中さんに本をもらいました。 (I received a book from Tanaka.)
9. 9Pattern B (Organization as source):
10. 10[Organization] から [Object] を もらう.
11. 11Example: 会社からボーナスをもらいました。 (I received a bonus from the company.)

Use に when you are receiving something from a specific person. This is your "default" setting for friends and family. It sounds warm and indicates a personal connection. Use から when you want to emphasize the source. This is common when the giver is a bit distant from you. For example, a teacher or a boss might take から. It creates a polite psychological gap. You must use から when the source is an inanimate entity. This includes schools, government offices, or shops. If you get a letter from your university, use から. If you get a discount from a store, use から. It is also great for abstract things like information. If you heard a rumor "from" someone, から works perfectly. It treats the person as a starting point for the news.

Never use から when you are the one giving. If you use あげる (to give), you only use に. This is a very common trap for beginners. から only works when the action flows toward you. Also, do not use に for non-human sources. Saying 学校に手紙をもらいました sounds like the school is a person. It might make people think the building itself handed you a paper. Avoid using もらう for people much higher in status than you. In those cases, use いただく. However, the particle rules for に and から stay the same. Finally, don't overthink it with close friends. If you use から with your best friend, they might think you are being formal. Stick to に for your inner circle.

The biggest mistake is using に for organizations. You wouldn't say you got a gift "at" the post office when you mean "from" them. Another mistake is mixing up the direction. Remember, もらう is always "I receive." If you use から with あげる, the sentence breaks. It is like trying to drive a car in reverse on a highway. Some people also forget that から can sound a bit cold. If your mom gives you a sweater, に is much sweeter. Using から might make it sound like a business transaction. Lastly, watch out for verbs like かりる (to borrow) and ならう (to learn). They follow the same に/から rules. If you learn English from a school, use から. If you learn it from a friend, に is your best bet.

Let's compare this to the particle と. You use と for doing things "with" someone. If you receive a gift, you aren't doing it "with" them in a shared action. You are the recipient. So, 田中と本をもらいました means you and Tanaka both received a book from someone else. That is a big difference! Also, compare に with で. で marks the location. 学校でプレゼントをもらいました means you were physically at the school when you got it. It doesn't mean the school gave it to you. The source is still missing. に and から are unique because they identify the origin. They tell us whose hands the item was in before yours. It is all about the journey of the object.