[Student’s sentence]

 

私(わたし)のたんじょうびに母(はは)がかばんをあげました。
My mother gave me a bag for my birthday.

 

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[My correction]

 

私のたんじょうびに母がかばんをあげました。
→私のたんじょうびに母がかばんをくれました。
My mother gave me a bag for my birthday.

 

Japanese uses two different verbs, あげる and くれる, for ‘to give’. Use くれる when someone gives something to ‘me’, as it conveys a sense of gratitude for the action. Conversely, use あげる when giving something away from ‘me’.

In the sentence, since ‘my mother’ gave ‘me’ a bag, くれる is the appropriate verb to express appreciation for the gift.

 

e.g.
この花(はな)は彼氏(かれし)が私にくれました。
My boyfriend gave me these flowers.

 

むすめが手紙(てがみ)をくれました。
My daughter gave me a letter.
*くれる is used, so the “私に” can be omitted.

 

私は父(ちち)のたんじょうびに時計(とけい)をあげました。
I gave my father a watch for his birthday.

 

ねこにえさをあげました。
I fed the cat.
*The subject ‘私’ is often omitted.

 

 

In the JLPT course, each lesson includes homework. Submit your homework, and I’ll provide corrections. I’ll break down Japanese grammar, highlighting mistakes and explaining structures and nuances in a simple way. Feel free to ask as many questions as you need—I’m here to help you understand!