Ａ ｌｅｓｓｏｎ Ｉ ｐｉｃｋｅｄ ｕｐ ｓｕｒｆｉｎｇ ｔｈｅ ｗｅｂ．
「あげる」 is the Japanese word for “to give” seen from the speaker’s point of view. You must use this verb when you are giving something or doing something for someone else.
Examples
（１） 私が友達にプレゼントをあげた。
- I gave present to friend.
（２） これは先生にあげる。
- I’ll give this to teacher.
In order to express the giving of a favor (verb) you must use the ever useful te-form and then attach 「あげる」.
（１） 車を買ってあげるよ。
- I’ll give you the favor of buying a car.
（２） 代わりに行ってあげる。
- I’ll give you the favor of going in your place.
For third-person, this verb is used when the speaker is looking at it from the giver’s point of view.
（１） 学生がこれを先生にあげる。
- The student give this to teacher. (looking at it from the student’s point of view)
（２） 友達が父にいいことを教えてあげた。
- Friend gave the favor of teaching something good to my dad. (looking at it from the friend’s point of view)
Ｉｎ ｊａｐａｎｅｓｅ ｓｏｃｉｅｔｙ， ｇｉｆｔ ｇｉｖｉｎｇ ｉｓ ａｎ ｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔ ｐｒａｃｔｉｃｅ ｔｈａｔ ｃａｎ ｎｏｔ ｏｎｌｙ ｂｅ ｕｓｅｄ ｗｈｅｎ ｇｏｉｎｇ ｔｏ ｓｏｍｅｏｎｅ’ｓ ｈｏｍｅ ｆｏｒ ｔｈｅ ｆｉｒｓｔ ｔｉｍｅ ｂｕｔ ｆｏｒ ｍａｎｙ ｏｔｈｅｒ ｔｈｉｎｇｓ ｔｈａｔ ｗｅ ｃａｎ ｒｅｌａｔｅ ｔｏ ａｓ ｗｅｌｌ．Ｂｉｒｔｈｄａｙｓ， ｐｒｏｍｏｔｉｏｎ， Ｗｅｄｄｉｎｇｓ．．． Ｙｏｕ ｗｉｌｌ ｆｉｎｄ ｔｈａｔ ｐｒｅｓｅｎｔａｔｉｏｎ ｉｓ ａｌｍｏｓｔ ａｓ ｉｍｐｏｒｔａｎｔ ａｓ ｔｈｅ ｇｉｆｔ ａｓ ｗｅｌｌ．
Ｎｏｗ ｌｅｔｓ ｌｏｏｋ ａｔ ｔｈｅ ｒｅｃｉｅｖｅｒ ｏｆ ｔｈｅ ｇｉｆｔ．
「くれる」 is also a verb meaning “to give” but unlike 「あげる」, it is from the receiver’s point of view. You must use this verb when someone else is giving something or doing something for you (effectively the opposite of 「あげる」).
Examples
（１） 友達が私にプレゼントをくれた。
- Friend gave present to me.
（２） これは、先生がくれた。
- Teacher gave this to me.
（３） 車を買ってくれるの？
- You’ll give me the favor of buying a car for me?
（４） 代わりに行ってくれる？
- Will you give me the favor of going in my place?
Similarly, when used in the third-person, the speaker is speaking from the receiver’s point of view and not the giver.
（１） 先生がこれを学生にくれる。
- The teacher give this to student. (looking at it from the student’s point of view)
（２） 友達が父にいいことを教えてくれた。
- Friend gave favor of teaching something good to my dad. (looking at it from the dad’s point of view)
The following diagram illustrates the direction of giving from the point of view of the speaker.
