Japanese grammar · quick reference
Who holds the camera?
Track the subject and the direction of a beneficial action.
| Viewpoint | Pattern | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Actor helps me / my side | 人が Vてくれる | 友だちが直してくれた。 |
| I receive or arrange help | （私は）人に Vてもらう | 友だちに直してもらった。 |
| Actor helps someone else | 人が 人に Vてあげる | 母が子どもに読んであげた。 |
Two checks
- Whose perspective should be the grammatical subject?
- Does the sentence appropriately present the action as beneficial?
Be cautious with 〜てあげる to the listener or a superior: it can sound like announcing your own favor. A neutral verb may be better.
Same event, two views
田中さんが駅まで送ってくれた。
田中さんに駅まで送ってもらった。
Actor as subject ↔ recipient as subject.