あの ねえさんに くるまを あげた。
Ano nee-san ni kuruma o ageta.
I gave that girl a car.
Let’s get down to business and talk about these verbs: もらう (morau), くれる (kureru), and あげる (ageru). These ain’t just words; they’re the law of the street when you’re talkin’ about giving and receiving. Get it wrong, and you might just disrespect somebody.
This whole thing is about who gets what from whom. Think of it like this: もらう (morau) is when you get somethin’ from somebody. It’s like a transaction from the other guy to you. くれる (kureru) is when someone gives you or your crew somethin’. The action comes to you, straight up. And あげる (ageru) is when you’re the one givin’ somethin’ to somebody else. It’s all comin’ from you. You gotta know who’s in the circle and who’s outside it.
You wanna do this right, you gotta know the game. Check out this chart to see how to switch up the verbs. This is the kinda stuff that’ll keep you out of trouble.
| Verb | Casual Present | Casual Past | Polite Present | Polite Past |
| もらう | もらう morau | もらった moratta | もらいます moraimasu | もらいました moraimashita |
| くれる | くれる kureru | くれた kureta | くれます kuremasu | くれました kuremashita |
| あげる | あげる ageru | あげた ageta | あげます agemasu | あげました agemashita |
Listen up, this ain’t complicated. あげる and くれる are both about giving, but they ain’t the same. With あげる, the act of giving moves away from you. With くれる, the act moves toward you. Think of くれる as the VIP delivery service. もらう is when you’re on the receiving end of either one of them. You got it? It’s all about who’s doin’ the handlin’ and who’s gettin’ the goods.
Look, this ain’t complicated if you think of it like this: Imagine a gangster crew. Your crew is your inner circle.
- あげる (ageru) is like when you’re givin’ a rival boss a new piece. You’re giving to somebody outside your crew. You might be showin’ respect, or you might be sendin’ a message. Either way, the action is movin’ away from your crew.
- もらう (morau) is like when you’re gettin’ some dough from the dude you’re shakin’ down. The money is comin’ to you from the other side. You’re the one on the receiving end.
- くれる (kureru) is like when your right-hand man, your consigliere, hands you a new plan for the next hit. The action is comin’ from within your crew and it’s benefitin’ you. It’s a sign of loyalty, a gift from your people.
Just remember: あげる moves away from you. くれる comes toward you. もらう is about you gettin’ something from another person. That’s the hustle.
Peep these words before you hit the examples.
しゃてい (Shatei)
English: Underling; henchman; subordinate.
Yo, every kingpin’s got a crew, right? And in that crew, you got the soldiers on the street doin’ the dirty work. Those are your underlings, your foot soldiers. The ones who got your back no matter what, ready to ride or die for the cause. They ain’t the boss, but they’re part of the family, and they hold it down for the main man. Like the dudes who rolled with Al Pacino in “Carlito’s Way.”
こぶん (Kobun)
English: Follower; subordinate; disciple.
This word is a lot like “shatei,” but it’s got a deeper vibe to it. It’s not just about some random dude you hired. This is your personal disciple, your main man. The one you’re teachin’ the game to, the one who looks up to you like a father figure. It’s a real loyalty thing. Think of it like when a young G-Unit came up under 50 Cent’s wing. That’s a kobun.
しゃっきんの しょるい (Shakkin no shorui)
English: Debt documents; IOU papers.
Man, in this life, sometimes you gotta make a loan, or sometimes someone owes you. This is the paperwork for that. The official documents that say who owes who what, and when they gotta pay up. It’s the receipt, the proof. You gotta have that paper, because without it, it’s just talk. It’s all about the paper trail, so there ain’t no gettin’ out of it.
けんじゅう (Kenjuu)
English: Handgun; pistol.
Straight up, this is your piece, your strap, your iron. The nine-to-five that keeps you safe and helps you get your point across when words ain’t enough. Every gangster movie got ’em, from “Boyz n the Hood” to “The Godfather.” It’s the tool of the trade, the thing that makes you feel a little more secure in this concrete jungle.
しま (Shima)
English: Territory; turf; stomping grounds.
This is your block, your neighborhood, your whole area. The streets you and your crew run, where everyone knows who’s in charge. It’s not just a place; it’s your kingdom. You protect it, you control it, and you don’t let no one else come in and try to take it from you. It’s your turf, and everyone knows to respect it.
Check it, these are some examples of how we talk in the streets.
しゃていに あたらしい ジャケットを もらった。
Shatei ni atarashii jaketto o moratta.
I got a new jacket from my underling.
こぶんが おれに しまの ちずを くれた。
Kobun ga ore ni shima no chizu o kureta.
My henchman gave me a map of the territory.
むかしの しゃていから でんわばんごうを もらった。
Mukashi no shatei kara denwa bangou o moratta.
I got the phone number from my old underling.
こぶんが おやぶんに しまの じょうほうを あげた。
Kobun ga oyabun ni shima no jouhou o ageta.
The henchman gave the boss information about the territory.
こぶんは あたらしい くるまを くれた。
Kobun wa atarashii kuruma o kureta.
My henchman gave me a new car.
おれは しゃていに かねを あげた。
Ore wa shatei ni kane o ageta.
I gave my underling some money.
ねえさんが おれに しゃっきんの しょるいを くれた。
Nee-san ga ore ni shakkin no shorui o kureta.
The girl gave me the debt papers.
こぶんから くわしい じょうほうを もらった。
Kobun kara kuwashii jouhou o moratta.
I got detailed information from my henchman.
おれは しゃていに ふるい くるまを あげた。
Ore wa shatei ni furui kuruma o ageta.
I gave my underling my old car.
ねえさんが あたらしい けんじゅうを くれた。
Nee-san ga atarashii kenjuu o kureta.
The girl gave me a new handgun.
Now you know the code. Don’t be makin’ no rookie mistakes out here. Stay loyal, stay real. Peace.
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