How to Say “Someone Does Something for Me” in Japanese with ～てくれる
The Japanese verb くれる means “to give,” specifically when someone gives something to you or someone on your side. That same idea can also be applied to actions. By attaching くれる to the て-form of a verb, ～てくれる expresses that someone does something for you or someone close to you.
～てくれる
Someone does something for me / Someone does me a favor
JLPT Level: N4
How to Use It
To form ～てくれる, put the action someone performs into its て-form and add くれる. Just as くれる describes someone giving something to you, ～てくれる describes someone giving you the benefit of an action.
The person performing the action is normally marked with が, while the person receiving the benefit is the speaker or someone associated with the speaker. Because the speaker is often obviously the person benefiting from the action, 私に does not usually need to be stated.
Usage Pattern
[Person] が + [Verb in て-form] + くれる
Example 1
友だちが私の宿題を手伝ってくれました。
ともだち が わたし の しゅくだい を てつだって くれました。
Tomodachi ga watashi no shukudai o tetsudatte kuremashita.
My friend helped me with my homework.
Example 2
母が駅まで送ってくれました。
はは が えき まで おくって くれました。
Haha ga eki made okutte kuremashita.
My mother took me to the station.
Example 3
先生が漢字を説明してくれました。
せんせい が かんじ を せつめい して くれました。
Sensei ga kanji o setsumei shite kuremashita.
My teacher explained the kanji to me.