How to use あげます、もらいます、and くれます


I have yet to find a good source that covers this in full. But I've seen them
being used in places where no giving or receiving is taking place. For
example,

> "写真をとってもらえませんか？"

and another one I saw just now on this stack exchange:

> "私が子供の時、母がこの本を読んでくれました。"

From what I can see, nothing physical is given or received, and in the case of
the second book, what was given/received?




あげます is to give, もらいます is to receive and くれます is also to give.

[![Here is the sentence formula for あげます and
もらいます](https://i.stack.imgur.com/A8Q8i.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/A8Q8i.png)

For example

> **あげる**
>
> 先生はエリコに本をあげました。  
>  The teacher (giver) gave a book to Eriko (recipient)
>
> * * *
>
> **もらう**
>
> エリコは先生に/から本をもらいました。  
>  Eriko (recipient) received a book from the teacher (giver).

For くれる, it's the same sentence formula as あげる, but used like this:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kcHRa.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kcHRa.png)

Here are some examples:

>   1. あかつねはエリコに花を **あげました。**  
>  Akatsune gave Eriko a flower.
>
>   2. あかつねは弟に花を **くれました。**  
>  Akatsune gave a flower to my younger brother.
>
>   3. 母はエリコにお茶を **あげました。**  
>  My mother gave Eriko green tea.
>
>   4. お兄さんはわたしにプレゼントを **くれました。**  
>  My older brother gave a present to me.
>
>   5. わたしは父にコーヒーを **あげました。**  
>  I gave my father coffee.
>
>




あげます is to give, もらいます is to receive and くれます is also to give.

[![Here is the sentence formula for あげます and
もらいます](https://i.stack.imgur.com/A8Q8i.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/A8Q8i.png)

For example

> **あげる**
>
> 先生はエリコに本をあげました。  
>  The teacher (giver) gave a book to Eriko (recipient)
>
> * * *
>
> **もらう**
>
> エリコは先生に/から本をもらいました。  
>  Eriko (recipient) received a book from the teacher (giver).

For くれる, it's the same sentence formula as あげる, but used like this:

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kcHRa.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/kcHRa.png)

Here are some examples:

>   1. あかつねはエリコに花を **あげました。**  
>  Akatsune gave Eriko a flower.
>
>   2. あかつねは弟に花を **くれました。**  
>  Akatsune gave a flower to my younger brother.
>
>   3. 母はエリコにお茶を **あげました。**  
>  My mother gave Eriko green tea.
>
>   4. お兄さんはわたしにプレゼントを **くれました。**  
>  My older brother gave a present to me.
>
>   5. わたしは父にコーヒーを **あげました。**  
>  I gave my father coffee.
>
>

