How can I say that I got an email from a friend in Japanese?
Donator
When talking about someone received something from someone else,
Donator + に (ni)
is typically used.
The general verb for “to receive” is
もらう
morau
to receive
So, for example,
友だちにメールをもらいました。
tomodachi ni meeru wo morai mashita.
I got an email from a friend.
Inhuman donator
When it comes to a situation in which a donator is inhuman like an organization (school, company, bank etc):
Donator (inhuman) + から(kara)
is typically used.
We can use it with human beings but the nuance of the phrase becomes more objective.
So for example,
学校から手紙をもらいました。
gakkoo kara tegami wo morai mashita.
I received a letter from my school.
先生から手紙をもらいました。
sensei kara tegami wo morai mashita.
I got a letter from my teacher.
もらう-like verbs
There are verbs that require the same grammar pattern as もらう:
習う
narau
To learn
借りる
kariru
To borrow, to rent
So for example,
オンラインの日本人の友だちに日本語を習いました。
onrain no nihonjin no tomodachi ni nihongo wo narai mashita
I learnt Japanese from my online Japanese friend.
親にお金を借りません。
oya ni okane wo kari masen.
I don’t borrow money from my parents.
How to ask about from whom we receive something
To ask about the donator,
Human:
誰に
dare ni
誰から
dare kara
Inhuman:
どこから
doko kara
are typically used.
For example,
A:
誰にその指輪をもらいましたか。
dare ni sono yubiwa wo morai mashita ka
Who did you receive that ring from? (Who gave that ring to you?)
B:
彼氏にもらいました。
kareshi ni morai mashita.
From my boyfriend.
A:
どこからお金を借りましたか。
doko kara okane wo kari mashita ka.
Where did you borrow the money from?
B:
銀行から借りました。
ginkou kara kari mashita.
From a bank.
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