〜てあげる (Do for Others) | Japanese Grammar Documentation

What is 〜てあげる (te-ageru)?

〜てあげる means "to do something for someone" with the nuance that the speaker is doing a favor or helping someone. It emphasizes the action being done for another person's benefit.

[Verb te-form] + あげる

教えてあげる
"teach (for someone)"

手伝ってあげる
"help (for someone)"

Formation

Basic Pattern

Verb (te-form) + あげる

Plain: 〜てあげる
Polite: 〜てあげます

作ってあげる / 作ってあげます
"make (for someone)"

送ってあげる / 送ってあげます
"send/take (for someone)"

Core Meaning

Doing a Favor

あげる (to give) + action = doing an action as a favor for someone.

本を貸してあげる
"lend a book (for someone)"

宿題を手伝ってあげる
"help with homework (for someone)"

教えてあげる
"teach (for someone)"

Particle Usage

に or のために

The person receiving the benefit is marked with に or のために.

友達に教えてあげる
"teach (for) a friend"

弟のために作ってあげる
"make (for) my younger brother"

彼女に買ってあげた
"bought (for) her"

Perspective and Direction

Giving Actions Diagram

私/We (giver) → 他の人 (receiver)
      てあげる

"I do something for them"

Key Points

Speaker is doing the action
Action benefits someone else
Direction: from speaker/in-group to others

私は弟に本を買ってあげた
"I bought a book for my younger brother"

母が妹にケーキを作ってあげた
"Mom made a cake for my younger sister"

Politeness Variation

あげる (Neutral)

手伝ってあげる
"I'll help (you/them)"

さしあげる (Humble/Honorific)

Used when doing something for someone of higher status.

説明してさしあげます
"I'll explain (for you - honorific)"

お持ちしてさしあげましょうか
"Shall I carry it (for you - honorific)?"

Common Usage Patterns

Offering Help

手伝ってあげようか？
"Shall I help you?"

教えてあげましょうか？
"Shall I teach you?"

作ってあげる
"I'll make it for you"

Past Actions

弟に本を買ってあげた
"I bought a book for my younger brother"

友達を駅まで送ってあげた
"I took my friend to the station"

母に料理を作ってあげた
"I cooked for my mother"

Negative Form

教えてあげない
"I won't teach (you/them)"

手伝ってあげられない
"I can't help (you/them)"

Important Nuances

Can Sound Condescending

てあげる can sound patronizing if used inappropriately, especially:

To superiors
To strangers
When the favor wasn't asked for

Less appropriate:
先生に教えてあげた ❌
"I taught the teacher" (sounds condescending)

Better:
先生に教えた ✓
"I taught the teacher"

Or with honorific:
先生にお教えした ✓
"I taught the teacher (humble)"

Better in Questions/Offers

てあげる is safer when offering help rather than stating you did something.

Safer (offer):
手伝ってあげようか？ ✓
"Shall I help you?"

Can sound arrogant:
手伝ってあげた ⚠️
"I helped you" (can imply superiority)

Common Verbs with てあげる

Helping Actions

手伝ってあげる - help (for someone)
助けてあげる - save/rescue (for someone)
教えてあげる - teach (for someone)
説明してあげる - explain (for someone)

Doing Things

作ってあげる - make (for someone)
買ってあげる - buy (for someone)
送ってあげる - take/send (for someone)
見せてあげる - show (for someone)

Communication

話してあげる - tell (for someone)
読んであげる - read (for someone)
書いてあげる - write (for someone)

Comparison with Similar Patterns

てあげる vs てくれる vs てもらう

てあげる: I do for others
私が友達に教えてあげた
"I taught my friend"

てくれる: Others do for me
友達が（私に）教えてくれた
"My friend taught me"

てもらう: I have someone do
私は友達に教えてもらった
"I had my friend teach me / My friend taught me"

Common Conversations

Example 1: Offering Help

A: 重そうだね
   "That looks heavy"

B: 持ってあげようか？
   "Shall I carry it for you?"

A: ありがとう！お願い
   "Thanks! Please do"

Example 2: Talking About Past Help

A: 宿題できた？
   "Did you finish your homework?"

B: うん、兄が教えてくれたんだ
   "Yeah, my brother taught me"
   (Note: Using てくれる, not てあげる)

A: いいお兄さんだね
   "What a nice brother"

Example 3: Between Friends

A: これ、どうやって使うの？
   "How do you use this?"

B: 教えてあげる
   "I'll teach you"

A: ありがとう！
   "Thanks!"

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using with superiors

Wrong: 先生に教えてあげた ❌
Better: 先生に教えた ✓
Or: 先生にお教えした ✓
"I taught the teacher"

Mistake 2: Sounding too proud

Can sound arrogant:
私が全部やってあげた ⚠️
"I did everything for them"

More humble:
私が全部やった ✓
"I did everything"

Mistake 3: Wrong particle

Wrong: 友達を教えてあげた ❌
Right: 友達に教えてあげた ✓
"I taught my friend"

Mistake 4: Confusing direction

Context: Someone helped you
Wrong: 友達が私に教えてあげた ❌
Right: 友達が私に教えてくれた ✓
"My friend taught me"

When to Avoid てあげる

With Superiors

Don't use: 社長に説明してあげた ❌
Better: 社長に説明した/ご説明した ✓
"I explained to the president"

When Not Really a Favor

Unnatural: ご飯を食べてあげた ❌
Natural: ご飯を食べた ✓
"I ate a meal"

In Formal Writing

Often better to use simpler forms in formal contexts.

Casual: 手伝ってあげました
Formal: お手伝いしました/ご協力しました
"I helped/assisted"

Special Expressions

〜てあげようか？ (Shall I...?)

Offering to do something.

手伝ってあげようか？
"Shall I help you?"

教えてあげようか？
"Shall I teach you?"

やってあげようか？
"Shall I do it for you?"

〜てあげたい (want to do for)

何かしてあげたい
"I want to do something for them"

助けてあげたい
"I want to help them"

〜てあげられない (can't do for)

今は手伝ってあげられない
"I can't help now"

お金がないから、買ってあげられない
"I can't buy it because I have no money"

With Family and Close Relationships

てあげる is more natural when talking about helping family members or close friends, especially those younger or of equal/lower status.

Natural contexts:
弟に本を買ってあげた
"I bought a book for my younger brother"

子供に絵本を読んであげる
"I read a picture book to my child"

友達を空港まで送ってあげた
"I took my friend to the airport"

Politeness Levels

Casual (あげる)

教えてあげる
"I'll teach you"

手伝ってあげるよ
"I'll help you"

Polite (あげます)

教えてあげます
"I'll teach you"

手伝ってあげましょうか
"Shall I help you?"

Honorific (さしあげる)

ご説明してさしあげます
"I'll explain (for you - honorific)"

お手伝いしてさしあげましょうか
"Shall I help you? (honorific)"

Cultural Notes

Japanese Perspective on Giving

In Japanese culture, explicitly stating you did something for someone can sound boastful. Native speakers often:

Use てあげる in questions/offers more than statements
Simply omit it when talking about past actions
Use てくれる when appropriate (when someone did for you)

More humble:
手伝った
"I helped"

More explicit (can sound proud):
手伝ってあげた
"I helped (for them)"

Practice Sentences

Offers

手伝ってあげましょうか？
"Shall I help you?"

教えてあげようか？
"Shall I teach you?"

持ってあげる
"I'll carry it for you"

作ってあげます
"I'll make it for you"

Past Actions

弟に本を買ってあげた
"I bought a book for my younger brother"

妹を駅まで送ってあげた
"I took my younger sister to the station"

友達に日本語を教えてあげた
"I taught Japanese to my friend"

With Children/Pets

子供に絵本を読んであげる
"I read a picture book to my child"

犬に餌をあげる
"I feed the dog"

赤ちゃんをお風呂に入れてあげる
"I bathe the baby"

Questions

何をしてあげようか？
"What shall I do for you?"

どこまで送ってあげようか？
"How far shall I take you?"

何か買ってあげようか？
"Shall I buy you something?"

〜てくれる (te-kureru) - Someone does for me
〜てもらう (te-morau) - I have someone do
Giving & Receiving - Verbs of giving
あげる/やる/さしあげる - Giving verbs
Direction of Actions - Perspective in Japanese
Te-form Conjugation - Basic te-form

What is 〜てあげる (te-ageru)?

Formation

Basic Pattern

Core Meaning

Doing a Favor

Particle Usage

に or のために

Perspective and Direction

Giving Actions Diagram

Key Points

Politeness Variation

あげる (Neutral)

さしあげる (Humble/Honorific)

Common Usage Patterns

Offering Help

Past Actions

Negative Form

Important Nuances

Can Sound Condescending

Better in Questions/Offers

Common Verbs with てあげる

Helping Actions

Doing Things

Communication

Comparison with Similar Patterns

てあげる vs てくれる vs てもらう

Common Conversations

Example 1: Offering Help

Example 2: Talking About Past Help

Example 3: Between Friends

Common Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using with superiors

Mistake 2: Sounding too proud

Mistake 3: Wrong particle

Mistake 4: Confusing direction

When to Avoid てあげる

With Superiors

When Not Really a Favor

In Formal Writing

Special Expressions

〜てあげようか？ (Shall I...?)

〜てあげたい (want to do for)

〜てあげられない (can't do for)

With Family and Close Relationships

Politeness Levels

Casual (あげる)

Polite (あげます)

Honorific (さしあげる)

Cultural Notes

Japanese Perspective on Giving

Practice Sentences

Offers

Past Actions

With Children/Pets

Questions

Related Grammar Points