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Verb (Group 2)
| Someone gives something to a person who is not a member of the giver's in group but whose status is about equal to that of the giver. | Give |
| 【Related Expression: くれる1; (もらう1)】 |
(ks). 私は良子に花をあげた・あげました。
I gave Yoshiko flowers.
(a). 大野さんは山本さんに本をあげた。
Ms. Ono gave Mr. Yamamoto a book.
(b). 君はアンに何をあげましたか。
What did you give to Ann?
1. あげる is one of a set of giving and receiving verbs; the meaning is 'give'. However, あげる cannot be used when the indirect object is the first person (i.e., I or we) or a person with whom the speaker empathizes (usually a member of the speaker's in-group). Thus, (1a) and (1b) are ungrammatical.
The reason for this is as follows: あげる requires the giver's point of view or a neutral point of view when describing an event. When an event involves the first person or a person the speaker empathizes with, however, the event is normally described from that person's point of view. Therefore, if the first person or a person the speaker empathizes with is a recipient in a あげる sentences, a viewpoint conflict arises, making the sentences ungrammatical. The grammatical sentences for (1a) and (1b) are (2a) and (2b), respectively.
(⇨ くれる1)
2. The humble polite version of あげる is 差し上げる. Example:
The degree of politeness expressed in 差し上げる is higher than that of 下さる and it いただく, which are the polite versions of くれる and もらう, respectively.
(⇨ くれる1, Related expression II)
3. When the giver is in a higher position than the recipient or the recipient is a person very close to the speaker, やる is used instead of あげる. Examples: