Japanese grammar
What does ～てくれる mean? Japanese grammar N4
～てくれる means (someone) does ~ for me.
| Level (estimated, JLPT framework) | N4 |
|---|---|
| Structure | N は（私に）V てくれます N は 私の N を V てくれます |
| Romaji | ~ te kureru |
| Meaning | (someone) does ~ for me |
Forming it
| Honorific | ～てくださいます (when the doer is a superior) |
|---|---|
| How to form | て form + くれる: 教える → 教えて → 教えてくれる |
| Direction of giving | Someone else → me/my side (NEVER directed outward) |
| Further conjugation | くれる is Group 2: くれます、くれた、くれて (irregular imperative: くれ) |
How to use it
Someone else actively does something beneficial for the speaker — accompanied by gratitude.
- ～てくれる = an arrow going IN toward me. Someone else does something for me, and I'm grateful. The subject is THE DOER: 「友達が手伝ってくれました」= my friend helped me.
- Since the recipient is assumed to be 私, 「私に」is usually omitted. Saying the full 「友達が私に手伝ってくれました」isn't wrong but is redundant.
- The key difference from ～てもらう: くれる emphasizes that the other person did it VOLUNTARILY; もらう implies I had asked. For the same event, choosing くれる or もらう depends on who you want to portray as the one taking initiative.
- This is the most important pattern in the trio for learners, because it's the most natural way to express gratitude. The sentence 「教えてくれてありがとう」(thanks for teaching me) is the standard thank-you sentence.
- With a superior, use ～てくださいます: 「先生が説明してくださいました」. The form ～てください you learned from N5 is exactly the imperative form of くださる — the same root.
Examples
友達が引っ越しを手伝ってくれました。
My friend helped me move.
先生が漢字の読み方を教えてくださいました。
The teacher kindly taught me how to read the kanji.
道が分からなくて困っていたら、女の人が案内してくれました。
When I was lost and troubled, a woman showed me the way.
Keep in mind
- The "my side" group extends to family members too: 「友達が妹を手伝ってくれました」 still uses くれる.
- There is no 「私は～てくれます」 — the subject of くれる is never "I".
Common mistakes
-
Wrong友達が私に日本語を教えてあげました。
My friend taught Japanese to me.
Correct友達が私に日本語を教えてくれました。
Vietnamese uses the same verb, "give," for both "you give me" and "I give you," so Vietnamese learners tend to pick あげる for both directions. Japanese requires: into my direction → くれる.
-
Wrong私は友達に本を貸してくれました。
I lent my friend a book.
Correct私は友達に本を貸してあげました。
With 私 as the subject, くれる cannot be used. くれる always has SOMEONE ELSE as the subject. If I am the one doing it, it must be あげる.
Exam tips
- Quick grading tip: くれる → the subject (が) is someone else, the recipient is 私. あげる → the subject is 私.