In English, "borrow" and "lend" are two separate words, but at least "give" and "receive" are straightforward. In Japanese, nearly every exchange has two verbs — one for the giver's perspective and one for the receiver's. This lesson covers the three foundational pairs you need for N5.
Core Concept: Change the Subject, Change the Verb
In English, "Tanaka lends Kimura a pen" and "Kimura borrows a pen from Tanaka" describe the same event — but with different subjects and different verbs. Japanese works the same way, and you must pick the verb that matches your subject.
Subject is the giver → use 貸します (lend) / あげます (give) / 教えます (teach) Subject is the receiver → use 借ります (borrow) / もらいます (receive) / ならいます (learn from)
Pair 1: 貸します vs 借ります (Lend vs Borrow)
| Japanese | Subject | Verb | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 田中さんは木村さんにボールペンを貸します。 | Tanaka (giver) | 貸します | Tanaka lends Kimura a ballpoint pen. |
| 木村さんは田中さんにボールペンを借ります。 | Kimura (receiver) | 借ります | Kimura borrows a ballpoint pen from Tanaka. |
Both sentences describe the same event — but with different subjects, different verbs.
Sentence Patterns
- A は B に thing を 貸します → A lends something to B
- A は B に thing を 借ります → A borrows something from B
Note: the に points to a different person in each pattern — in 貸します it marks the receiver; in 借ります it marks the source.
Pair 2: 教えます vs ならいます (Teach vs Learn From)
| Japanese | Subject | Verb | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 先生は学生に日本語を教えます。 | Teacher (giver) | 教えます | The teacher teaches Japanese to the students. |
| 学生は先生に日本語をならいます。 | Student (receiver) | ならいます | The students learn Japanese from the teacher. |
Same logic: the teacher's perspective uses "teach," the student's perspective uses "learn from."
Pair 3: あげます vs もらいます (Give vs Receive)
| Japanese | Subject | Verb | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| 佐藤さんは小林さんにプレゼントをあげます。 | Sato (giver) | あげます | Sato gives Kobayashi a present. |
| 小林さんは佐藤さんからプレゼントをもらいました。 | Kobayashi (receiver) | もらいました | Kobayashi received a present from Sato. |
から vs に with もらいます
With もらいます, you can mark the source with either から or に:
- ともだちからプレゼントをもらいました。 → I received a present from a friend.
- ともだちにプレゼントをもらいました。 → I received a present from a friend. (same meaning)
Summary Table
| Giver's Perspective | Receiver's Perspective | English |
|---|---|---|
| 貸します (lend) | 借ります (borrow) | lending/borrowing |
| 教えます (teach) | ならいます (learn from) | teaching/learning |
| あげます (give) | もらいます (receive) | giving/receiving |
Memory tip: Whoever is the subject uses their own verb. English lets you say "I lent him a pen" or "He borrowed my pen" — Japanese does the same thing, just with completely different verb words.
Wrap-Up
- Japanese giving/receiving verbs are subject-centered — the giver and receiver use different verbs
- 貸します/借ります, 教えます/ならいます, あげます/もらいます are three fundamental N5 pairs
- With もらいます, the source can be marked with から or に
- With あげます, the recipient is marked with に
Practice
Q1. How do you say "I received a present from a friend" in Japanese?
Show Answer
ともだちからプレゼントをもらいました。
The subject is "I" (the receiver), so use もらいました. The source "friend" is marked with から.
Q2. Is this sentence correct? 「先生は学生に日本語をならいます。」
Show Answer
Incorrect. ならいます means "learn from," so the subject should be the student (the learner), not the teacher. Correct versions:
- 先生は学生に日本語を教えます。 (The teacher teaches Japanese to the students.)
- 学生は先生に日本語をならいます。 (The students learn Japanese from the teacher.)
Q3. Rewrite this sentence from Kobayashi's perspective: 「佐藤さんは小林さんにプレゼントをあげます。」
Show Answer
小林さんは佐藤さんからプレゼントをもらいます。
Switch the subject from giver (Sato) to receiver (Kobayashi), change あげます to もらいます, and mark the source with から.