くれる

• Reading: くれる
• Romaji: kureru
• Kanji breakdown: 呉 (go/ku) — to give, to do for someone
• Pronunciation: /kɯ.ɾe.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To give (to me/us); to do something for me/us. Used when someone gives something to the speaker.

A Group 2 (ichidan) verb, though slightly irregular in some forms. While the kanji 呉れる exists, hiragana is standard. The key distinction from あげる: くれる is used when the giving benefits the speaker or the speaker's in-group. The ～てくれる pattern expresses gratitude for someone's action.

Examples

1. 友達が本をくれました。 My friend gave me a book.
2. 母が毎日お弁当を作ってくれます。 My mom makes me a lunch box every day.
3. 先生が分かりやすく説明してくれた。 The teacher explained it to me in an easy-to-understand way.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, family, gratitude

Tone: warm

Origin & History

Written 呉れる in kanji, derived from 呉 which historically referred to the Wu region of China. The connection to giving is through classical usage patterns. Modern Japanese strongly prefers the hiragana form.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal