Teach Us, Teacher

MORAIMASU (Lesson 45)

First of all, please note that both AGEMASU and KUREMASU mean "to give." And MORAIMASU means "to get," "to receive" or "to be given." In Japanese, you choose which of them to use, depending on which is the subject, the giver or the receiver, and also depending on who is the receiver. If the giver is the subject, you use either AGEMASU or KUREMASU, both mean "to give."

If the receiver is yourself, or a person close to you, who belongs to your inner group, you use KUREMASU. If you want to say "Kenta gives a photograph to me," "a photograph" is SHASHIN. "Me" is WATASHI. You use the particle, NI, to indicate the receiver. So, "Kenta gives a photograph to me" is KENTA WA WATASHI NI SHASHIN O KUREMASU.

If the receiver is a person outside your inner group, you use AGEMASU. So, you say KENTA WA ANNA NI SHASHIN O AGEMASU (Kenta gives Anna a photograph).

When the receiver is the subject, you use MORAIMASU (to get, to receive, to be given). You use the particle, NI, to indicate the giver. In case Anna is given a photograph by Kenta, ANNA is the subject. The giver is Kenta. So you say KENTA NI. "Anna is given a photograph by Kenta" is ANNA　WA KENTA NI SHASHIN O MORAIMASU.

If you receive something from your superior, it is better to say ITADAKIMASU, instead of MORAIMASU. If you use ITADAKIMASU properly, I'm sure you’ll find yourself a lot more comfortable in Japanese.