Lesson 20

Learning Japanese with Minna no Nihongo? Lesson 20 is about how to give and receive things politely. You will learn useful verbs like あげます (give), もらいます (receive), and くれます (give to me). These are important in daily conversation.

This article explains the main grammar, vocabulary, and easy example sentences from Lesson 20. Let’s keep it simple and clear. Ready to learn? Let’s go!

Lesson
Minna no Nihongo 20

🎁 Focus
Giving and Receiving

🎓 Level
Beginner

🎁

Learn to Give and Receive in Japanese

📘 Vocabulary

• あげます (agemasu) – to give (to others)
• もらいます (moraimasu) – to receive
• くれます (kuremasu) – to give (to me or my group)
• ぼく (boku) – I (used by men)
• あなた (anata) – you
• かれ (kare) – he / boyfriend
• かのじょ (kanojo) – she / girlfriend

🧠 Grammar Point

In this lesson, you learn how to talk about giving and receiving things. Here are the main sentence patterns:

[Person] は [Person] に [Thing] を あげます。
→ I give a gift to my friend.

[Person] は [Person] に [Thing] を もらいます。
→ I receive a book from my teacher.

[Person] は [Me] に [Thing] を くれます。
→ My friend gives me a pen.

💬 Example Sentences

• わたしは ともだちに プレゼントを あげました。→ I gave a present to my friend.
• せんせいに ほんを もらいました。→ I received a book from the teacher.
• ともだちは わたしに ペンを くれました。→ My friend gave me a pen.
• かれは かのじょに はなを あげました。→ He gave flowers to his girlfriend.

📝 Tips for Practice

• Practice making sentences using あげます, もらいます, and くれます.
• Use real objects at home and act out giving and receiving with a partner.
• Write three sentences: one for giving, one for receiving, and one for someone giving you something.
• Watch Japanese drama clips where people exchange gifts — listen for these verbs.

📚 What’s Next?

In Lesson 21, you will learn how to express opinions and talk about what you think. Before that, make sure you understand Lesson 20. These giving and receiving verbs are used a lot in polite conversation.

Note: This article is for beginners learning Japanese with Minna no Nihongo. Don’t rush. Take your time and enjoy learning!

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is the difference between あげます and くれます?
あげます is used when you give to someone. くれます is used when someone gives something to you.

Q2: Can I use these verbs in formal settings?
Yes, they are polite forms and good for formal or normal conversations.

Q3: Is it hard to remember the difference?
At first, yes. But with practice, it becomes easy.

Q4: Should I memorize all example sentences?
You don’t have to. Try to make your own sentences using the same pattern. That helps more.