Broadly, 〜てくる[te kuru] and 〜ていく[te iku] are used to indicate whether a verb is done “coming” or “going.”
途中で何か買ってきて
Tochū de nanika katte kite
Please buy something on the way (here).
コンビニでおにぎり買っていくよ
Konbini ni de onigiri katte iku yo
I’ll buy some rice balls at the convenience store on the way
However, the nuances of when you should or shouldn’t use these endings can be tricky for learners. Sometimes the “coming” and “going” is about physical movement, as above. Other times, it’s a lot more abstract.
In this post, we’ll chat about how to use these two endings in a sentence, when to use them to talk about physical movement, and when you can use them in more abstract ways. Let’s have a look!
The verbs くる[kuru] and いく[iku] are most often translated as “to come” and “to go,” though they can have other translations as well.
来る[kuru] is an verb, that describes movement toward the speaker.
昨日友達がうちに遊びに来た。
Kinō tomodachi ga uchi ni asobi ni kita.
My friends came to my house for a visit yesterday.
行く (iku) is a u-verb, describes a movement away from the speaker.
午後、スーパーへ買い物に行きます。
Gogo, suupaa e kaimono ni ikimasu.
I’ll go to a supermarket this afternoon to shop.
In English, it’s sometimes possible to “come” to a location away from the speaker. For example, you might say “I’ll come to your place tomorrow.” You cannot use 来る[kuru] this way, though. 来る[kuru] is strictly about the direction of movement. In Japanese, you’d need to say it like this:
明日行くね
Ashita iku ne.
I’ll go (to your place) tomorrow.
The endings 〜てくる[te kuru] and 〜ていく[te iku] can be used to explain how or why someone came or went. You might add these endings to another verb, like 走る[hashiru](to run), to show that someone runs toward the speaker or away from the speaker.
走ってくる
hashitte kuru
come running
走っていく
hashitte iku
run away
Though they often describe physical movement towards or away from the speaker, they can also be used to describe abstract movement through time. We’ll talk a bit more about that later!
These endings are made of two parts: the a -te form and a helping verb. The -te form describes how or why someone traveled, while the helping verb, くる[kuru]and いく[iku], tells you about the direction of motion.
-te form
how they traveled
くる[kuru] or いく[iku]
Let’s look at each of these two parts!
The -te form is a form used to connect elements in Japanese. In this case, it connects a word with a helping verb that gives it an extra layer of meaning. The -te form will usually end in 〜て[te], but can sometimes end in 〜で[de] instead.
Japanese helping verbs are called 補助動詞[ hojodōshi]. When a verb is used as a helping verb it’s usually spelled in hiragana, くる and いく, but it’s conjugated just like an independent verb.
Adding 〜てくる[te kuru] to a sentence indicates movement toward the speaker, while adding 〜ていく[te iku]t indicates movement away from the speaker, or that the speaker is moving. But when should we add this ending?
Here are the main cases where you might add 〜てくる[te kuru] or 〜ていく[te iku]:
To indicate what someone did before arriving, coming or going
To indicate that someone was transporting or traveling with something
To describe the method or manner by which someone came or went.
To clarify how the direction relates to the speaker’s location.
Let’s look more closely at each and go through some example scenarios!
You can use 〜てくる[te kuru] and 〜ていく[te iku] to mark an action that someone did before arriving somewhere, coming or going. This can be something that you “stopped off” to do while on your way, or it can be something you just get done before arriving. Let’s look at some scenarios where you might use this!
Stopping in on your way
Two friends are talking on the phone, from different locations. Friend B is traveling to visit Friend A, and will pass a store on the way.
Here is their conversation:
冷蔵庫が空だから、途中で何か買ってきて。
Reizōko ga kara da kara, tochū de nanika katte kite.
My fridge is empty, so please buy something on the way (here).
じゃあ、コンビニでおにぎり買っていくよ。
Jā, konbini ni de onigiri katte iku yo.
Well then, I’ll buy some rice balls at the convenience store on the way.
Something to accomplish before returning
Friends A and B are chatting in the living room. They are getting thirsty, so Friend A decides to step into the kitchen to make some tea.
お茶いれてくるから、ちょっと待ってて。
Ocha irete kuru kara, chotto mattete.
Just a moment, I’ll make tea and come back.
Adding 〜てくる[te kuru], here, makes it clear that Friend A is leaving the room to make tea, and will be coming back. Without this ending it would sound like Friend A didn’t have to leave the room to make tea.
In English you might express this by saying say “I’ll go and make tea.” In Japanese, though need to use 〜てくる[te kuru] because it’s a task you want to get done before you come back to where you are.
Sometimes you can describe “going and then returning” using an expression like 行ってくる[itte kuru] which literally means “go and come back.” Here “going somewhere” is the action you want to accomplish before you arrive back.
ちょっとコンビニまで行ってくる。
Chotto konbini made itte kuru.
I’m going over to the convenience store now.
lit. I’m going to the convenience store and coming back.
Something to accomplish before leaving
A and B are still at A’s place. It’s almost dinner time. When B says they are heading home, A asks B to stay for dinner.
晩ごはん食べていってよ。お寿司とるから。
Bangohan tabete itte yo. Osushi toru kara.
Have dinner with me before you go. I’ll order sushi.
lit. Eat dinner and then go.
In this case, Friend A is asking Friend B to do something before they leave. 〜ていって[te itte], or its polite form 〜ていってください[te itte kudasai] is a handy phrase we can use to ask someone to stay for some activity!
Japanese people commonly say 行ってきます[itte kimasu] when leaving the house, like you might say “bye!” in English. This uses the 〜てくる[te iru] form, and literally means “I’ll go and come back.”
To send someone else on their way, you can use the respectful command 行ってらっしゃい[itte rasshai] , meaning “Go and come back,” instead.
You can use 〜てくる[te kuru] and 〜ていく[te iku] after certain static verbs to indicate that you brought, wore, or held something, or that you brought someone with you.
To do this, just take a verb for a continuous action, such as holding something, wearing something, or accompanying someone, and add 〜てくる[te kuru] or 〜ていく[te iku] to indicate the direction of travel.
Verb | Example |
|---|---|
連れる tsureru to accompany | 子供を病院に連れていくので、少し遅れます。 Kodomo o byōin ni tsurete iku node, sukoshi okuremasu. I’m taking my child to a clinic, so I’ll be a little late. lit. I’m going, accompanying my child, to the hospital… |
持つ motsu to hold | その本、読みたいから、持ってきて。 Sono hon, yomitai kara, motte kite. I want to read the book, so please bring it with you. lit. ...come holding the book. |
かぶる kaburu to wear (hats) | 外は暑いから、帽子をかぶっていきなさい。 Soto wa atsui kara, bōshi o kabutte ikinasai. It’s hot outside, so wear your hat when you go out. lit. ...go wearing your hat. |
Four verbs that use 〜てくる[te kuru] and 〜ていく[te iku] in this sense are especially common. Take note of their differences!
English | ...a person/animal | ...a thing |
|---|---|---|
to bring… | 連れてくる tsurete kuru | 持ってくる motte kuru |
to take... | 連れていく tsurete iku | 持っていく motte iku |
You can also add 〜てくる[te kuru] or 〜ていく[te iku] to a verb that describes a type of movement, like 歩く[aruku](to walk), 走る[hashiru](to run), or 飛ぶ[tobu](to fly). This indicates how you came or went: the method of the movement.
どうして汗びっしょりなの？
Dōshite ase bisshori nano?
Why are you sweating so much?
駅からずっと走ってきたから。
Eki kara zutto hashitte kita kara.
Because I ran all the way from the train station.
You can also use non-movement verbs like 座る[suwaru](to sit) and 眠る[nemuru](to sleep) to describe your condition or position while you traveled.
ここは始発駅だから、新宿まで座っていけるよ。
Koko wa shihatsu eki da kara, Shinjuku made suwatte ikeru yo.
This is the starting station, so we can travel to Shinjuku while seated.
lit. …can go sitting…
Adding 〜てくる[te kuru] or 〜ていく[te iku] describes movement relative to yourself. That means it’s most useful to describe your recent or near future movement: relative to where you are now.
If you want to go back and describe movement that happened a long time ago, or between two places both away from where you are now, it is better to not use 〜てくる[te kuru] or 〜ていく[te iku]. It sounds more objective.
今日はバスに乗らずに駅まで歩いた。
Kyō wa basu ni norazu ni eki made aruita.
Today I didn’t take a bus; instead, I walked to the train station.
Some verbs, like 帰る[kaeru](to return) and 送る[okuru](to send) have some directionality built into them. However, adding 〜てくる[te kuru] or 〜ていく[te iku] to these verbs helps clarify where the speaker is relative to that movement.
Verbs describing how the subject moves, can often be used with either 〜てくる[te kuru] or 〜ていく[te iku]. Compare these two statements, both of which might be made at the end of a school day:
子供たちが家へ帰っていく。
Kodomotachi ga ie e kaette iku.
Children are going back (home).
もうすぐ子供たちが帰ってくる。
Mōsugu kodomotachi ga kaette kuru.
The children are coming home soon.
Not all directional movement verbs can be used both “going” and “coming!” For example, 遠ざかる[tōzakaru](to go away into the distance) and 去る[saru](to leave) can’t be used to describe movement towards the speaker, so will always be used with 〜ていく[te iku].
南へ向かう雁の群れが遠ざかっていく。
Minami e mukau kari no mure ga tōzakatte iku.
A flock of geese heading south are flying away into the distance.
Japanese verbs for “sending something” are assumed to represent travel away from the speaker. However, you can add 〜てくる[te kuru] to these verbs if something was being sent to you. Compare:
私は祖母にお菓子を送った。
Watashi wa sobo ni okashi o okutta.
I sent some sweets to my grandmother.
祖母がお菓子を送ってきた。
Sobo ga okashi o okutte kita.
My grandmother sent me some sweets .
Sometimes whatever is being sent is a little abstract: a message rather than an object.
健太はいつも夜中に電話をかけてくる。
Kenta wa itsumo yonaka ni denwa o kakete kuru.
Kenta always phones me in the middle of the night.
lit. phones to me
You’ll usually only use 送ってきた[okutte kita] if you’ve already received the object. If someone says that they sent you something, but you haven’t received it yet, it’s better to describe it as reported speech, like this:
祖母が (私に) お菓子を送ったそうだ。
Sobo ga (watashi ni) okashi o okutta sō da.
My grandmother says that she sent me some sweets.
We saw how 〜てくる[te kuru] and 〜ていく[te iku] can mark actions that physically come and go from a particular place, but these endings can also mark verbs that “come” or “go” from abstract states or times. For example, 〜てくる[te kuru] and 〜ていく[te iku] can be used in the following cases.
To mark an action or condition that lasted until or continued after a reference point.
To indicate whether a gradual change makes things more or less like the state you have in mind.
To mark a feeling that “rises up” quickly or suddenly within someone (〜てくる[te kuru] only)
To mark that something has become perceptible to the senses (〜てくる[te kuru] only)
Let’s have a look at each of these uses more closely!
〜てくる[te kuru] and 〜ていく[te iku] can mark an action or situation that continued until or began after some point in time.
〜てくる
te kuru
action/situation before
reference point
〜ていく
te iku
action/situation after
今日結婚する。 今日まで一人で 生きてきた。明日からは二人で 生きていくのだ。
Kyō kekkon suru. Kyō made hitori de ikite kita. Ashita kara wa futari de ikite iku no da.
I’m getting married today. I’ve lived alone until today. We are going to live together starting tomorrow.
Regardless of when your “reference point” is, the tense of 〜てくる[te kuru] and 〜ていく[te iku] should be relative to “now.”
When added to a verb of unintentional change, like なる[naru](to become) or 変わる[kawaru](to change), 〜てくる[te kuru] and 〜ていく[te iku] can indicate whether the change makes things gradually more or less like the state you have in mind.
〜てくる[te kuru] indicates things are becoming more like the state you describe.
〜ていく[te iku] indicates things are becoming less like the state you describe.
You can think of this as “coming into” a state or “going out of” a state. For example:
３月に入って、日がだんだん長くなってきた。
Sangatsu ni haitte, hi ga dandan nagaku natte kita.
March has arrived, and the daylight time is gradually getting longer.
この町はこれからもどんどん変わっていくことだろう。
Kono machi wa kore kara mo dondon kawatte iku koto darō.
I think this town is going to steadily keep changing in the future as well.
You can use this to describe a change in your feelings or level of understanding:
最近、日本語の文法がだんだんわかってきました。
Saikin, Nihongo no bunpō ga dandan wakatte kimashita.
Recently I’ve gradually started to understand Japanese grammar.
It can also include the gradual appearance or disappearance of something:
夜が明けてきた。星がだんだん消えていく。
Yoru ga akete kita. Hoshi ga dandan kiete iku.
The dawn is approaching. The stars are gradually disappearing.
Remember, though, that the change is always gradual. Sentences that use 〜てくる[te kuru] and 〜ていく[te iku] this way often include adverbs like だんだん[dandan](gradually), どんどん[dondon](steadily), and 少しずつ[sukoshi zutsu](little by little). Can you spot them in the examples above?
You can add 〜てくる[te kuru] to certain verbs in order to express that a feeling is suddenly rising up within you. You’ll commonly hear this with verbs like 込み上げる[komiageru](to well up) or expressions like 眠気がおそう[nemuke ga osou](to be overcome by drowsiness).
Though the verbs themselves express the change of state, adding 〜てくる[te kuru] makes it sound sudden, fast, or uncontrollable.
古い写真を見ていると、なつかしさが胸に込み上げてきた。
Furui shashin o mite iru to, natsukashisa ga mune ni komiagete kita.
As I looked at old photos, I felt nostalgia welling up in my heart.
授業中、急に眠気がおそってきた。
Jugyōchū, kyūni nemuke ga osotte kita.
During the class, I was suddenly overcome by drowsiness.
You can add 〜てくる[te kuru] to a sensory verb to indicate that a sound or smell has started to reach you. You might use this with verbs like 聞こえる[kikoeru](to be audible; hear), においがする[nioi ga suru](to smell), or 見える[mieru](to be visible; see).
台所からいいにおいがしてきた。今日はカレーだな。
Daidokoro kara ii nioi ga shite kita. Kyō wa karē da na.
A nice aroma has started coming from the kitchen. I bet we are having curry today.
霧が薄らいで、湖が見えてきた。
Kiri ga usuraide, mizu’umi ga miete kita.
The fog started thinning, and the lake gradually came into my view.
Finally, one last use for 〜てくる[te kuru]! This ending can be used as a communication device to indicate that you’re providing or suggesting a new topic of conversation. For example, if you want to tell someone that you saw the latest movie from Ghibli yesterday, you could phrase it two different ways:
きのう、ジブリの新作を見ました。
Kinō, Jiburi no shinsaku o mimashita.
きのう、ジブリの新作を見てきました。
Kinō, Jiburi no shinsaku o mite kimashita.
In this post, we’ve found out how 〜てくる[te kuru] and 〜ていく[te iku] work in Japanese. Here’s a quick summary of all the uses of these two endings:
Category | 〜てくる[te kuru](coming) | 〜ていく[te iku](going) |
|---|---|---|
Pysical Movement | actions done before you arrive | actions done before you leave |
bringing something | taking something away | |
how you came | how you left | |
towards the speaker | away from the speaker | |
Abstract | continues before a reference time | actions done before you leave |
gradual change into a state | gradual change out of a state | |
emotional state “rises up” | ||
becomes perceptible to the senses | ||
introducing a new topic |
Ready to practice what you’ve learned? Check out our 〜てくる[te kuru] and 〜ていく[te iku] activity sheet to test your skills! Happy learning!
