【JLPT N4 Grammar】～あげる／やる／差し上げる（さしあげる）

How to use

   [Subject (giver)] は [Receiver] に [Object] をあげる
   [Subject (giver)] から [Receiver] に [Object] をあげる
　
　

Meaning

   [Subject] gives [Object] to [Receiver]
　

Explanation

"～あげる／やる／差し上げる" means to give an object to someone.

“やる” is a rough expression that represents the movement of objects from the high rank to the low, and is used when you give something to animals or plants.

 "差し上げる" is a humble word that represents the movement of objects from the low rank to the high.

It is also possible to represent the movement of objects between people other than yourself.

i.e Someone gives something to someone else.

The viewpoint of “あげる” is the subject (giver). If you want to describe from the perspective of the recipient, use "もらう"

Please be careful as words like "これはお土産です。先生に差し上げます。(This is a souvenir. I will give it to the teacher.)" It's a humble word, but there is a feeling from the top that you can forcefully benefit from the perspective. In such a case, it is better to say "これはお土産です。どうぞ（受け取ってください）。This is a souvenir. Please (please receive it)."

Examples

　（１）　僕はお母さんに写真をあげた。

Boku wa okaasann ni shashin wo ageta.

I gave the photo to my mother.

僕 boku- I (used by boys)

は wa- topic particle

お母さん okaasan- mother

に ni- object particle for the verb "あげる",  *We cannot use "を” particle instead of "に" here because the verb "あげる to give" has some nuance of direction or motion, so "に" is more preferred since it is often used to indicate directions or motions. 

写真 shashin- photo

を wo- direct object particle

あげる to give- (past tense=あげた)

 （２）　先生から宿題をもらう。

Sensei kara shukudai wo morau.

I receive homework from the teacher.

先生 sensei- teacher

から kara- from

宿題 shukudai- homework

を wo- direct object particle

もらう morau- to receive

　（３）　僕は友達にアイスをあげた。

Boku wa tomodachi ni aisu wo ageta.

I gave an icecream to my friend.

僕 boku- I(used by boys)

は wa- topic particle

友達 tomodachi- friend

に ni- object particle for the verb "あげる"

アイス aisu- icecream

を- object particle

あげる to give- (past tense=あげた)