Doing favors for others

We can use the three words we just learned for giving and receiving with other verbs to express the action as a favor. This construction is used to make requests and do things for others.

Giving and receiving favors

In order to use one of the three words we learned for giving and receiving with another verb, first change the verb to the te-form and then attach the word for giving or receiving to the end of the verb.

Example

  1. 頭が悪いから先生が特別に説明をしてくれた
    (I’m) not smart so (the) teacher explained (it) specially for me.
  2. お金がないから、昼ご飯をおごってくれる
    (I) don’t have money so will (you) treat me to lunch for me?
  3. これが欲しいなら、買ってあげるよ。
    If (you) want this, (I will) buy (it) for you, you know.
  4. 今はちょっと手が離せないので、後で電話してもらえますか。
    (I’m) in the middle of something now so can you call (me) later?

Requesting to not do something

In order to express the negative, ie to give the favor of not doing the action, change the verb to the negative, attach 「で」, then the word for giving or receiving.

Example

  1. 突然変なことを言わないでくれる
    Can you not say strange thing(s) all of a sudden?
  2. 勉強しているからうるさくしないでくれる
    (I’m) studying so can you not do noisily for me?
  3. 今月の家計はきついからしばらくはお金を使わないでもらえる
    This month’s family finance is tight so can (I) receive favor of not using money for a while?

怠け者

父: おい、アリス!

アリス: 何よ?

父: そこの窓を閉めてくれないか?

アリス: わざわざ目の前にある窓を閉めてもらうために私を大声で呼んだの?しかも、別の部屋から。

父: いいことを教えてあげよう。お前もいつか子供が出来たらこんなのも出来るんだって。

アリス: 自分の子供をこき使うのがそんなにいいの?

父: こき使うって、お前、学校で日本語の勉強を始めたら、妙なことを言うようになったな。他の生徒から変な日本語を習っていないだろうか?

アリス: ・・・さすがにそれはないと思う。

Toggle Translations

Father: Hey, Alice!

Alice: What?

Father: Can you close that window (for me)?

Alice: (You) went out of your way to call with loud voice to (receive favor of) closing window in front of (your) eyes? Not to mention, from (a) separate room.

Father: Let me (give you favor of) teaching good thing. That when you have kids one day, you can do this kind of thing.

Alice: Is it so good to push around your own child like that?

Father: Push around… (you’ve) started saying some strange things once (you) started learning Japanese. (You’re) not learning strange Japanese from the other students, right?

Alice: …That I’m pretty sure is not the case.

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