温めてくれるーーgrammar help

[watermen]

I saw this word in Lower Intermediate 6, the whole sentence is 夜の街は寒いけど、でも温めてくれる人がいたから。。。

I don't understand the grammar behind this word 温めてくれる, can someone help me? What is くれる doing here?

[Psy]

Generally when someone else does a kindness for you the てくれる form is applied. It's a mild honorific, like くださる but more casual. 温める is "to warm (something) up" but 温めてくれる is "to be given the favor of warming (something) up." So sure, 温める人 means "person who makes (something) warm," but 温めてくれる人 is "person who kindly warms (something for me.)" If you put いたから "because there was" in there and you get 温めてくれる人がいたから "because there was someone to keep (me) warm..."

As another note, the reason this isn't もらう is because もらう implies you're asking a favor, whereas くれる comes from the kindness of others. (granted, もらう does reverse the roles grammatically, but since pronouns go unused so often the meaning is still clear)

I hope this helps, but let me know if my explanation is awkward. I'm on a painkiller right now and it's messing with my head ever so much...

[watermen]

Generally when someone else does a kindness for you the てくれる form is applied. It's a mild honorific, like くださる but more casual. 温める is "to warm (something) up" but 温めてくれる is "to be given the favor of warming (something) up." So sure, 温める人 means "person who makes (something) warm," but 温めてくれる人 is "person who kindly warms (something for me.)" If you put いたから "because there was" in there and you get 温めてくれる人がいたから "because there was someone to keep (me) warm..."

As another note, the reason this isn't もらう is because もらう implies you're asking a favor, whereas くれる comes from the kindness of others. (granted, もらう does reverse the roles grammatically, but since pronouns go unused so often the meaning is still clear)

I hope this helps, but let me know if my explanation is awkward. I'm on a painkiller right now and it's messing with my head ever so much...

Thanks a lot for your explanation. I have a better understanding now.

You having a headache?

[Psy]

Thanks a lot for your explanation. I have a better understanding now.

You having a headache?

Ah, glad I could help. Though it's off topic, the painkiller is a prescription because I had to have half of one of my molars sawn off today. In a word, 「いたい」。

[watermen]

Here is another example I found today. Thanks for explaining.