kurete

Kurete is a term primarily used in Japanese to express the act of giving something to someone else. It is the past tense form of the verb kureru (くれる), which means "to give" (to me or to someone in my in-group). The most common English translations are "gave" or "given."

The nuance of kurete lies in its perspective. It is used when the speaker or someone close to the speaker is the recipient of the gift or action. For example, if a friend gave you a book, you would say "Tomodachi ga hon o kureta" (友達が本をくれた), meaning "My friend gave me a book." This contrasts with the verb ageru (あげる), which is used when giving something to someone outside of one's in-group, or when the recipient is not specifically emphasized.

Beyond literal gift-giving, kurete can also describe favors or actions performed for the speaker or their in-group. If someone helped you with a task, you might say, "Kare ga tetsudatte kureta" (彼が手伝ってくれた), meaning "He helped me." The particle te (て) connects the verb kureru to the preceding action, indicating that the action was done for the speaker's benefit. Understanding this distinction is key to using kurete correctly in Japanese conversation and writing.