What does it mean word for word?
The phrase literally breaks down to tomodachi (friend) + natte (become) + kureru (give/do for me).
Which one should you use?
While the default form 友達になってくれる？ asks the other person to do the favor of becoming friends, 友達になりたい？ focuses more directly on their internal desire to be friends. Other informal options include 友達にならない？ (Do you want to be friends?), 友達になろうよ！ (Let's become friends!) and 友達になってもいい？ (Is it okay if we become friends?).
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
For a polite level suitable for someone you don't know well or someone older than you, use 友達になってくれますか？ There are several formal variations: 友達になっていただけませんか？, お友達になってくださいますか？ and 友達になってくださいませんか？
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Kansai region, you may hear the variation 友達になりまっか？
How do you pronounce it?
tomodachi ni natte kureru?
When do people say it?
If someone asks you to be friends, a common casual way to accept is うん、いいよ！ (Yeah, sure!), while a polite way to accept is はい、ぜひ！ (Yes, certainly!).
Did you know?
- Depending on the context, a Japanese person might decline a request for friendship by saying ちょっと… (chotto), which literally means 'a little'. This vague response is a polite way to say 'no' without using a negative word.
- The word 友達 (friend) is often replaced by 知り合い (acquaintance) in Japanese. Many people who would be called 'friends' in English are categorized as 知り合い until a very deep level of trust is established.
- In Japanese social culture, instead of asking to be friends directly, people often use 'indirect' methods like exchanging LINE contact information or asking 'can we exchange LINE?', which serves the same social purpose.
Examples in context
- 友達になってくれる？tomodachi ni natte kureru?Do you want to be friends?
- ねえ、友達になってくれる？nee, tomodachi ni natte kureru?Hey, will you be my friend?
Example conversation
Two students are talking after school in the classroom.
- 大翔 Hiroto陽葵ちゃん、友達になってくれる？Himari-chan, tomodachi ni natte kureru?Himari, do you want to be friends?
- 陽葵 Himariうん、もちろん！un, mochiron!Yeah, of course!
- 大翔 Hirotoよかった。これからよろしくね。yokatta. kore kara yoroshiku ne.I'm glad. Let's be friends from now on.
- 陽葵 Himariこちらこそ、大翔くん。kochira koso, Hiroto-kun.Same here, Hiroto.
