Doing for someone with 〜てあげる
Grammar: Giving and Receiving » 〜てあげる
The grammar pattern Verb + てあげる presents an action as something done for someone else’s benefit. The giver is usually the speaker or someone on the speaker’s side, and the receiver is another person.
Formation
View formation details
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Verb て-form + あげる
- 教えてあげる
- "teach someone"
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Person + に + Verb て-form + あげる
- 友達に説明してあげる
- "explain it for a friend"
- Note: に marks the person who receives the benefit.
-
Verb て-form + あげて
- 仲良くしてあげて
- "be nice to them"
- Note: The て-form can be used when asking or telling someone to do the beneficial action.
Perspective
With 〜てあげる, the action moves away from the speaker’s side toward someone else.
- シャロがチノに教えてあげる。
- Sharo teaches Chino.
あげる adds that Sharo is doing it as a favor or helpful act for Chino.
Giver and Receiver
The giver is often omitted when it is the speaker. The receiver can be marked with に.
- 妹にお弁当を作ってあげた。
- I made a lunch for my little sister.
The plain action is making a lunch. 〜てあげる adds the direction of benefit toward the little sister.
Related Grammar
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Receiving kindness with 〜てくれる
- Looks at the same kind of helpful action from the receiver's side.
-
Having someone do something with 〜てもらう
- Makes the receiver the grammatical center of the sentence.
-
Permission to do with 〜てもいい
- Can combine with 〜てあげる, as in 教えてあげてもいい.
Examples
I'll fix you dinner with 〜てあげる
Grammar Explanation: Doing for someone with 〜てあげる
After a case wraps up, Conan parts ways with Kogoro and Ran to do something. When Conan returns home, Ran gets ready to prepare dinner.
- 蘭:
- 「おなかすいたでしょーー？」
- “You're hungry, right?”
- 「今、何か作ってあげるからね！」
- “I'll make you something right now!”
- コナン:
- 「うん！」
- “'kay!”
We'll give you a ride with 〜てあげる
Grammar Explanation: Doing for someone with 〜てあげる
Hakumei and Mikochi search for a specific café to no avail. A couple of rodents come up from nearby water.
- ネズミⒶ:
- 「私ら場所知ってるからさ」
- “We know where it is, so...”
- ネズミⒷ:
- 「乗せてってあげるよ」
- “We'll give you a ride.”
Supplemental Examples
