GRAMMAR DETAIL

てもらう

have someone do something for you

Follows the connective form of a verb to show that the subject asks someone to act and receives the benefit of that action.

Examples

店員に新しい機械の使い方を説明してもらった。

I had a store clerk explain how to use the new machine.

先生に作文を読んでもらった。

I asked my teacher to read my composition.

友達に駅まで車で送ってもらいました。

I had a friend drive me to the station.

Structure: A verb's て form takes もらう, with the recipient of another person's help as the subject.
Basic usage: 友達に駅まで車で送ってもらいました。 means receiving a ride to the station from a friend.

The agent marked by に
- In 私は先生に読んでもらった, the teacher did the reading. 先生が読んでくれた instead makes the teacher the subject.
A request and a received benefit
- 読んでもらった describes receiving the act of reading; 読んでほしいと頼んだ describes asking for it. てもらう alone does not establish that an explicit verbal request necessarily took place.