Having someone do something with 〜てもらう

Grammar: Giving and Receiving » 〜てもらう

The grammar pattern Verb + てもらう describes receiving the benefit of someone doing an action. It often translates naturally as “have someone do”, “get someone to do”, or simply as the action in passive-sounding English, depending on context.

Formation

1. Verb て-form + もらう
   • 助(たす)けてもらう
   • "have someone help me"
2. Person + に + Verb て-form + もらう
   • 先生(せんせい)に教(おし)えてもらう
   • "have the teacher teach me"
   • Note: に marks the person who does the action.
3. Verb て-form + もらえる
   • 見(み)せてもらえる？
   • "can I have you show me?"
   • Note: The potential form もらえる is common in requests.

Perspective

With 〜てもらう, the receiver is the center of the sentence.

• 私(わたし)は友達(ともだち)に手伝(てつだ)ってもらった。
• I got my friend to help me.

The friend did the helping, but the sentence is organized around 私 receiving that help.

くれる Versus もらう

〜てくれる and 〜てもらう can describe similar real-world events, but the grammar points the camera differently.

• 友達(ともだち)が手伝(てつだ)ってくれた。 = My friend helped me.
• 友達(ともだち)に手伝(てつだ)ってもらった。 = I got my friend to help me.

In the first sentence, the friend is the subject and the action comes toward the speaker. In the second, the speaker is the receiver, and に marks the person who did the action.

Requests

The potential form 〜てもらえる is common for requests because it asks whether the speaker can receive the favor.

• 少(すこ)し待(ま)ってもらえる？ = Could I have you wait a little?
• 名前(なまえ)を書(か)いてもらえますか？ = Could you write your name?

This sounds less direct than commanding the action itself because the request is phrased around receiving help.

Examples

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Endure the tear gas for me with 〜てもらう

Saint Tail finds it rather easy to approach the historic dagger she’s out to steal. As she takes it, Asuka Jr. jumps out from his hiding place. Rina heads to the enclosed space where the two are and lifts a tear gas gun in their direction.

リナ:

「アスカ　すこしのあいだ　がまんしてもらうわ！！」

“Asuka, you'll have to put up with it for a bit!!”

Having you eat carrots for me with 〜てもらう

Yukari offers Mina the carrots from her lunch, as Yukari doesn’t like carrots. Mina gladly accepts them and offers Yukari one of her dumplings in return.

ユカリ:

「えー悪(わる)いよ、苦手(にがて)なもの食(た)べてもらうのに。」

“Eh~, I feel bad making you eat something I don't like.”

ミナ:

「いいよー　私(わたし)にんじん好(す)きだしー。」

“It's fine~ I like carrots anyway~.”

Your allowance of a rowing technique with 〜させてもらいます

Akatsuki asks Akari for a gondola ride to his destination. Along the way, he asks whether he’ll make his deadline. Akari suggests Alicia should take over, but Akatsuki says he’s Akari’s customer (and paying the cheaper fare). Realizing her responsibility, Akari turns the gondola around so she can use her high-speed backward rowing. Alicia apologizes to Akatsuki for the turnaround.

アリシア:

「今(いま)からお客様(きゃくさま)の視界(しかい)を遮(さえぎ)る漕(こ)ぎ方(かた)をさせてもらいます」

“From now on, she'll be using a rowing technique that blocks your view.”

暁(あかつき):

「むぅ？」

“Mm?”

Supplemental Examples

Try finding this grammar in the following examples:

Far from being helpful with 〜どころか

Grammar » Completely opposite to with 〜どころか

藤原くんはだいたい正しい » Volume 1 » Page 140

Feeling a bit better with 気が晴れる

Idiom » Feeling better with 気が晴れる

アオハライド » Volume 5 » Page 168

Place of lodging with 〜先

Vocabulary » Place where something is done with 〜先

ご注文はうさぎですか？ » Volume 1 » Page 50

Too much to handle on top of class representative duties with 荷が重い

Idiom » More than one can handle with 荷が重い

orange » Volume 3 » Page 121

Wanting to be cared about with 〜たい

Grammar » Wanting to do with 〜たい

ご注文はうさぎですか？ » Volume 1 » Page 115