ISORI

〜てもらう

JLPT N4:

have someone do (for me)

Says you receive a favour: someone does something for you, often because you asked: "have someone do", "get someone to do".

How to form it

  • Put the verb in the て-form and add もらう: 手伝(てつだ)ってもらう.
  • The receiver is the subject, and the person doing the favour is marked with に: 友達(ともだち)に手伝(てつだ)ってもらった (I got a friend to help me).
  • もらう is a godan verb: もらいます, もらった, もらいたい.
  • The humble version is いただく: 先生(せんせい)に教(おし)えていただきました.

Examples

友達(ともだち)に宿題(しゅくだい)を手伝(てつだ)ってもらいました。

I got a friend to help me with my homework.

先生(せんせい)に説明(せつめい)してもらいたいです。

I'd like the teacher to explain it to me.

Notes

  • 〜てもらえませんか and 〜ていただけませんか are polite ways to ask for a favour: 窓(まど)を開(あ)けてもらえませんか (could you open the window?).
  • もらう suggests you asked for or wanted the favour; くれる puts the focus on the other person's kindness.

Common mistakes

  • Marking the helper with が. Say 友達(ともだち)に手伝(てつだ)ってもらった; with が, use くれる: 友達(ともだち)が手伝(てつだ)ってくれた.

Similar meaning