What is 〜てもらう (te-morau)?
〜てもらう means "to have someone do something" or "to receive the action of someone doing something." It emphasizes that you are the beneficiary of someone else's action.
[Verb te-form] + もらう
教えてもらう
"have (someone) teach / receive teaching"
手伝ってもらう
"have (someone) help / receive help"
Formation
Basic Pattern
Verb (te-form) + もらう
Plain: 〜てもらう
Polite: 〜てもらいます
作ってもらう / 作ってもらいます
"have (someone) make"
送ってもらう / 送ってもらいます
"have (someone) take/send"
Core Meaning
Receiving Actions
もらう (to receive) + action = receiving someone doing an action for you.
友達に本を貸してもらった
"I had my friend lend me a book / My friend lent me a book"
母に料理を作ってもらった
"I had my mother cook / My mother cooked for me"
先生に教えてもらった
"I had the teacher teach me / The teacher taught me"
Particle Usage
に or から Marks the Giver
The person doing the action is marked with に (or から).
友達に教えてもらう
"have a friend teach me"
先生に説明してもらった
"had the teacher explain"
田中さんに手伝ってもらいます
"I'll have Tanaka help me"
Perspective and Direction
Receiving Actions (Active Request)
私 (receiver) ← 他の人 (giver)
てもらう
"I have them do something for me"
Key Points
- Speaker is the beneficiary
- Emphasizes speaker's receiving of the action
- Can imply the speaker requested or arranged it
- More active role for the speaker than てくれる
Politeness Variation
もらう (Neutral)
教えてもらう
"have (someone) teach me"
いただく (Humble)
Used when receiving from someone of higher status.
先生に説明していただいた
"I had the teacher explain (humble)"
社長にお会いしていただいた
"I had the president meet with me (humble)"
Common Usage Patterns
Past Actions
友達に本を貸してもらった
"I had my friend lend me a book"
母に駅まで送ってもらった
"I had my mother take me to the station"
先生に質問に答えてもらった
"I had the teacher answer my question"
Requests
手伝ってもらえますか？
"Could you help me?"
教えてもらえませんか？
"Could you teach me?"
説明していただけますか？ (humble)
"Could you explain?"
Expressing Gratitude
手伝ってもらってありがとう
"Thank you for helping me"
教えてもらって助かりました
"It helped that you taught me"
Comparison with Similar Patterns
てもらう vs てくれる vs てあげる
てもらう: I have someone do (active receiving)
友達に教えてもらった
"I had my friend teach me"
てくれる: Someone does for me (grateful receiving)
友達が教えてくれた
"My friend taught me"
てあげる: I do for others
友達に教えてあげた
"I taught my friend"
Nuance Difference
てもらう: Emphasizes your receiving/benefit
- Can imply you requested it
- More formal/polite feeling
てくれる: Emphasizes the giver's kindness
- More grateful/appreciative feeling
- Natural for spontaneous help
Example:
友達に手伝ってもらった
"I had my friend help" (I asked/arranged)
友達が手伝ってくれた
"My friend helped me" (grateful for their kindness)
Common Verbs with てもらう
Helping Actions
手伝ってもらう - have someone help
助けてもらう - have someone save/rescue
教えてもらう - have someone teach
説明してもらう - have someone explain
Doing Things
作ってもらう - have someone make
買ってもらう - have someone buy
送ってもらう - have someone take/send
見せてもらう - have someone show
貸してもらう - have someone lend
Communication
話してもらう - have someone tell
聞いてもらう - have someone listen
読んでもらう - have someone read
書いてもらう - have someone write
Common Conversations
Example 1: Making a Request
A: すみません、ちょっと手伝ってもらえますか？
"Excuse me, could you help me?"
B: いいですよ。何ですか？
"Sure. What is it?"
A: この荷物を持ってもらえますか？
"Could you carry this luggage?"
B: はい、どうぞ
"Yes, here you go"
Example 2: Talking About Past Help
A: 日本語の勉強、どうしてる？
"How's your Japanese study?"
B: 友達に毎日教えてもらってるんだ
"I'm having my friend teach me every day"
A: いいね！
"Nice!"
B: うん、本当に助かってる
"Yeah, it really helps"
Example 3: Polite Request
A: すみません、写真を撮ってもらえますか？
"Excuse me, could you take a photo?"
B: いいですよ
"Sure"
A: ここを押してください
"Please press here"
B: はい、チーズ！
"Okay, cheese!"
Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Wrong particle
Wrong: 友達を教えてもらった ❌
Right: 友達に教えてもらった ✓
"I had my friend teach me"
Mistake 2: Using with yourself as subject
Wrong: 私が友達に教えてもらった when meaning "I taught" ❌
Right: 私が友達に教えた/教えてあげた ✓
"I taught my friend"
Correct usage:
私は友達に教えてもらった ✓
"I had my friend teach me / My friend taught me"
Mistake 3: Confusing with てくれる
Both can translate as "someone did for me" but:
てもらう: More formal, emphasizes your benefit
先生に説明してもらった
"I had the teacher explain"
てくれる: More grateful, emphasizes their kindness
先生が説明してくれた
"The teacher explained for me"
Making Requests with てもらう
〜てもらえますか？ (Could you...?)
Polite request.
手伝ってもらえますか？
"Could you help me?"
教えてもらえますか？
"Could you teach me?"
説明してもらえますか？
"Could you explain?"
〜てもらえませんか？ (Couldn't you...?)
More polite/indirect.
ちょっと見てもらえませんか？
"Couldn't you take a look?"
手伝ってもらえませんか？
"Couldn't you help me?"
〜ていただけますか？ (Humble request)
Most polite, using humble form.
説明していただけますか？
"Could you explain? (humble)"
教えていただけませんか？
"Couldn't you teach me? (humble)"
お時間をいただけますか？
"Could I have some of your time? (humble)"
Special Patterns
〜てもらいたい (want to have someone do)
教えてもらいたい
"I want to have someone teach me"
手伝ってもらいたい
"I want someone to help me"
説明してもらいたいです
"I'd like to have it explained"
〜てもらってもいい？ (Is it okay to have...?)
手伝ってもらってもいい？
"Is it okay if you help me?"
教えてもらってもいいですか？
"Is it okay if you teach me?"
〜てもらってありがとう (Thanks for doing)
手伝ってもらってありがとう
"Thank you for helping me"
教えてもらってありがとうございます
"Thank you for teaching me"
説明していただいてありがとうございます
"Thank you for explaining (humble)"
Negative Form
〜てもらえない
誰も手伝ってもらえない
"I can't get anyone to help"
教えてもらえなかった
"I couldn't have someone teach me"
〜てもらわない
手伝ってもらわない
"I won't have someone help"
説明してもらわないつもり
"I don't intend to have it explained"
Conditional Forms
〜てもらえたら (if I could have someone do)
手伝ってもらえたら、助かる
"It would help if you could help me"
教えてもらえたら、ありがたい
"I'd be grateful if you could teach me"
〜てもらえれば (if I could have)
説明してもらえれば、わかると思う
"I think I'd understand if you explained"
時間をもらえれば、できます
"I can do it if you give me time"
Politeness Levels
Casual (もらう)
教えてもらう
"have someone teach"
手伝ってもらえる？
"Can you help?"
Polite (もらいます)
教えてもらいます
"I'll have someone teach"
手伝ってもらえますか？
"Could you help?"
Humble (いただく)
教えていただく
"have someone teach (humble)"
説明していただけますか？
"Could you explain? (humble)"
When to Use てもらう vs てくれる
Use てもらう when:
- Making polite requests
- Emphasizing your benefit from the action
- In formal situations
- When you arranged or asked for the action
先生に推薦状を書いてもらった
"I had the teacher write a recommendation letter"
Use てくれる when:
- Expressing gratitude
- Someone voluntarily helped
- Emphasizing the giver's kindness
- More casual/emotional contexts
友達が推薦状を書いてくれた
"My friend wrote a recommendation letter for me"
Cultural Notes
Politeness Strategy
てもらう with potential form (〜てもらえる) is a very common polite way to make requests in Japanese.
手伝ってもらえますか？
"Could you help me?"
This is more polite than:
手伝ってください
"Please help me"
Professional Contexts
てもらう (especially with いただく) is standard in business situations.
ご確認いただけますか？
"Could you please confirm?"
お時間をいただけますでしょうか？
"Could I have some of your time?"
Practice Sentences
Basic Usage
友達に教えてもらった
"I had my friend teach me"
母に料理を作ってもらう
"I have my mother cook"
先生に質問に答えてもらった
"I had the teacher answer my question"
誰に手伝ってもらいましたか？
"Who did you have help you?"
Making Requests
手伝ってもらえますか？
"Could you help me?"
この本を貸してもらえませんか？
"Couldn't you lend me this book?"
説明していただけますか？
"Could you explain? (humble)"
写真を撮ってもらえますか？
"Could you take a photo?"
With Thanks
手伝ってもらってありがとう
"Thank you for helping me"
教えてもらって助かりました
"It helped that you taught me"
説明していただいてありがとうございます
"Thank you for explaining (humble)"
Past Actions
友達に宿題を手伝ってもらった
"I had my friend help with homework"
先生に日本語を教えてもらった
"I had the teacher teach me Japanese"
母に駅まで送ってもらった
"I had my mother take me to the station"
Want/Need
誰かに手伝ってもらいたい
"I want someone to help me"
先生に説明してもらう必要がある
"I need to have the teacher explain"
もっと練習してもらいたい
"I want to have more practice"
Related Grammar Points
- 〜てくれる (te-kureru) - Someone does for me
- 〜てあげる (te-ageru) - I do for others
- Giving & Receiving - Verbs of giving/receiving
- もらう/いただく - Receiving verbs
- Direction of Actions - Perspective in Japanese
- Te-form Conjugation - Basic te-form
- 〜てもらえますか - Making polite requests