てもらう details
write + (and…) + have do
kaite morau
have (someone) do; receive the favor of doing
meaning: have someone write
駅前の店で、自転車を直してもらう。
ekimae no mise de, jitensha o naoshite morau.
I have someone fix my bike at the shop by the station. neutral
お兄ちゃんに作文、直してもらった。
oniichan ni sakubun, naoshite moratta.
I got my big brother to fix up my essay. casual
- formal
- past
- polite
- potential
Examples
have someone do for one — the receiver of the favor is the subject
駅前の店で、自転車を直してもらった。
ekimae no mise de, jitensha o naoshitemoratta.
I had someone fix my bike at the shop by the station. neutral
お兄ちゃんに作文、直してもらった。
oniichan ni sakubun, naoshite moratta.
I got my big brother to fix up my essay. casual
友達に空港まで送ってもらいました。
tomodachi ni kuukou made okutte moraimashita.
A friend drove me to the airport. neutral
部長に企画書を確認していただきました。
buchou ni kikakusho o kakunin shite itadakimashita.
I had the department head look over the proposal. formal
Formation
{V-te}もらうattaches to て-form
Variant notes
- ていただく — humble receive — 先生[せんせい]に見[み]ていただいた
Notes
Related patterns
Similar
Both recast an event from the affected person's seat — てもらう frames it as a favor the subject arranged or welcomed (直してもらった, I got it fixed), the passive as something merely undergone (勝手に直された, it was altered on me); the choice signals gratitude versus detachment or grievance.
Permission from two seats — permissive させる grants the act from the granter's side, てもらう receives a favor from the receiver's side; させてもらう composes them into "get to do".
Giver-subject vs receiver-subject — 貸してあげた foregrounds the giver's kindness and can read as credit-claiming, 貸してもらった foregrounds the receiver and usually implies the favor was invited.
手伝ってほしい states the wish and stops there — nothing has happened yet; 手伝ってもらう reports the act as received. The want-forms converge — てもらいたい ≒ てほしい — with てもらいたい reading a notch stiffer and more written.
One event, flipped viewpoint — 友達が教えてくれた makes the giver the subject and paints spontaneous kindness; 友達に教えてもらった makes the receiver the subject and hints they sought the favor out. Both encode gratitude.