Minna no Nihongo - Unit 16 Overview

Minna no Nihongo - Unit 16 Overview

Unit 16 covers giving and receiving actions, which is a key part of expressing social relationships in Japanese. You’ll learn how to use the verbs あげます (to give), もらいます (to receive), and くれます (to give to me or my group), as well as understand their subtle differences in meaning depending on who is giving or receiving the action.

---

1. Vocabulary (たんご)

This unit introduces vocabulary related to actions of giving and receiving, along with useful nouns that typically appear in these situations.

• あげます (agemasu) – to give (used when the speaker gives to others or others give to someone else)
• もらいます (moraimasu) – to receive
• くれます (kuremasu) – to give (used when someone gives to the speaker or the speaker's in-group)
• おくります (okurimasu) – to send, to give as a present
• かします (kashimasu) – to lend
• かります (karimasu) – to borrow
• おしえます (oshiemasu) – to teach, to tell
• ならいます (naraimasu) – to learn

Other useful nouns:

• プレゼント (purezento) – present, gift
• はは (haha) – mother
• ちち (chichi) – father
• ともだち (tomodachi) – friend
• おかね (okane) – money

---

2. Grammar Points (ぶんぽう)

A. Giving and Receiving Actions

1. あげます – “to give”

   • Used when the speaker gives something to another person, or when one person gives something to a third person.
   • Structure:
     [Giver] は [Recipient] に [Object] を あげます。
   • Example:
     • わたしは ともだちに プレゼントを あげます。
       (I will give a present to my friend.)

2. もらいます – “to receive”

   • Used when the speaker or someone receives something from someone else.
   • Structure:
     [Recipient] は [Giver] に/から [Object] を もらいます。
   • Example:
     • わたしは かれに プレゼントを もらいました。
       (I received a present from him.)

3. くれます – “to give to me” or “to give to my group”

   • Used when someone gives something to the speaker or to a person in the speaker’s group (e.g., family, friends).
   • Structure:
     [Giver] は [Recipient (me/my group)] に [Object] を くれます。
   • Example:
     • かのじょは わたしに プレゼントを くれました。
       (She gave me a present.)

B. Distinguishing Between あげます, もらいます, and くれます

• Use あげます when you or someone else gives to others.
• Use もらいます when you or someone else receives something.
• Use くれます when someone gives to you or a member of your in-group.

---

3. Example Sentences

1. わたしは ともだちに はなを あげました。
   (I gave flowers to my friend.)

2. ともだちは わたしに ほんを くれました。
   (My friend gave me a book.)

3. わたしは せんせいに プレゼントを もらいました。
   (I received a present from my teacher.)

4. かれは ははに おかねを あげました。
   (He gave money to my mother.)

---

4. Practice Sentences

• わたしは いもうとに ほんを あげました。
  (I gave a book to my younger sister.)

• せんせいは わたしに じしょを くれました。
  (The teacher gave me a dictionary.)

• ともだちは わたしに えいがの チケットを くれました。
  (My friend gave me a movie ticket.)

• わたしは かれに おかねを もらいました。
  (I received money from him.)

---

5. Summary

Unit 16 focuses on the verbs for giving and receiving—あげます, もらいます, and くれます. These verbs help you navigate social relationships in Japanese and are essential for expressing who gives and who receives. Understanding the proper usage of these verbs will help you sound polite and appropriate in various situations, such as gift-giving and exchanges with friends, family, and colleagues.