Activities: How to use 〜てくる (te kuru) and 〜ていく (te iku) in Japanese?

Let’s start by reviewing different ways we can use 〜てくる and 〜ていく! For each use listed below, complete the sentence by filling the blank using the given verb along with 〜てくる or 〜ていく form. Don’t forget to conjugate くる and いく if necessary (e.g., past, negative, polite, etc.).

• Verb: 洗う[arau](to wash)
  te-form: 洗って[aratte]

  Sequence of actions. Talking to your family:

  手が汚れたからちょっと。
  Te ga yogoreta kara chotto ___.
  My hands are dirty. I’ll go wash them now.

• Verb: 連れる[tsureru](to accompany)
  te-form: 連れて[tsurete]

  Parallel actions. Talking to your pooch:

  あとから散歩にから、ちょっと待ってて。
  Ato kara sanpo ni ___ kara chotto mattete.
  I’ll take you for a walk later, so please wait for a while.

  Hint! Use the plain form before から[kara].

• Verb: 飛ぶ[tobu](to fly)
  te-form: 飛んで[tonde]

  The method or state of movement. Talking about your favorite song:

  この曲の題は『コンドルは』です。
  Kono kyoku no dai wa “Kondoru wa ___” desu.
  The title of this tune is “El Condor Pasa.”

  Hint! The literal translation of the Japanese title of the famous tune is “The condor flies away”; it’s in the plain form.

• Verb: 上がる[agaru](to go/come up; ascend)
  te-form: 上がって[agatte]

  Direction of the movement of the subject. Talking to your boss:

  エレベーターがね。
  Erebētā ga ___ ne.
  The elevator is not coming up, is it?

• Verb: 送る[okuru](to send)
  te-form: 送って[okutte]

  Direction of the movement of the object. Writing in your diary:

  妹がかわいい子猫の写真を。
  Imōto ga kawaii koneko no shashin o ___.
  My younger sister sent me a photo of a cute kitten.

• Verb: 続ける[tsuzukeru](to continue)
  te-form: 続けて[tsuzukete]

  Continuation of acts. Talking to your Japanese teacher:

  これからも日本語の勉強を。
  Korekara mo Nihongo no benkyō o ___.
  I will continue studying Japanese from now on too.

• Verb: 慣れる[nareru](to get used to)
  te-form: 慣れて[narete]

  The process of changes. Talking to your friend:

  やっと新しい仕事に。
  Yatto atarashii shigoto ni ___.
  I’m finally getting used to my new job.

• Verb: 聞こえる[kikoeru](to be audible; hear)
  te-form: 聞こえて[kikoete]

  Arrival of perceptual information. Texting to your friend:

  遠くから消防車のサイレンが。
  Tōku kara shōbōsha no sairen ga ___.
  I hear the siren of a fire in the distance.

• Verb: 浮かぶ[ukabu](to come up (with an idea); get (ideas))
  te-form: 浮かんで[ukande]

  Occurrence of psychological/sensory phenomena. Talking to yourself:

  いくら考えてもいいアイディアが。
  Ikura kangaete mo ii aidia ga ___.
  No matter how hard I think about it, I don’t get any good ideas.
  (lit. "...good ideas don’t come up")

Let’s try using 〜てくる / いく in short sentences. Answer the following questions. You may use words given in the word bank or you can pick your own. Correct answers will vary!

• How were you dressed when you went out today (or the last time you went out)?

  Japanese	Transcription	Translation
  着る	kiru	to wear; put on
  スーツ	sūtsu	suit
  レインコート	reinkōto	raincoat
  ワンピース	wanpiisu	dress
  Tシャツとジーンズ	tii shatsu to jiinzu	T-shirt and jeans
  スエットスーツ	suetto sūtsu	sweatsuit

  Sample answer:
  今日は雨だったので、レインコートを着ていきました。
  [Kyō wa ame datta node, reinkōto o kite ikimashita.]
  It was rainy today, so I went out with my raincoat on.
  

• How do you usually get to school / work (or a place of your choice)?

  Japanese	Transcription	Translation
  歩く	aruku	to walk
  走る	hashiru	to run
  〜に乗る	… ni noru	to ride …
  自転車	jitensha	bicycle
  車	kuruma	car
  バス	basu	bus
  地下鉄	chikatetsu	subway

  Sample answer:
  学校へはたいてい自転車に乗っていきます。
  [Gakkō e wa taitei jitensha ni notte ikimasu.]
  I usually go to school by (riding) a bicycle.
  

  👉 Did you remember to use 〜ていく since the movement is away from your home?

• Did anyone give you a phone call, or send you a text message or email lately? If so, who did it?

  Japanese	Transcription	Translation
  電話をかける	denwa o kakeru	to give a phone call
  〜を送る	… o okuru	to send …
  メール	mēru	email
  メッセージ	messēji	text message
  荷物	nimotsu	package
  友だち	tomodachi	friend
  会社の人	kaisha no hito	someone at work
  家族	kazoku	family member(s)

  Sample answer:
  今日は友だちがメールを送ってきました。
  [Kyō wa tomodachi ga mēru o okutte kimashita.]
  Today a friend of mine sent me an email.

• Have you observed any changes around you lately? Is it getting colder? Is your town growing? Are you getting more likes on your social posts? Is your Japanese getting better and better? Pick one change and describe it in a short sentence.

  Japanese	Transcription	Translation
  寒く / 暑く なる	samuku / atsuku naru	getting colder / hotter
  涼しく / 暖かく なる	suzushiku / atatakaku naru	getting cooler / warmer
  高く / 安く なる	takaku / yasuku naru	getting more / less expensive
  にぎやかに / 静かに なる	nigiyaka ni / shizuka ni naru	getting more lively / quiet
  〜がうまくなる	… ga umaku naru	My … is getting better
  〜が増える / 減る	…ga fueru / heru	… is increasing / decreasing
  人口	jinkō	population
  「いいね」の数	“ii ne” no kazu	the number of “likes”
  だんだん	dandan	gradually
  どんどん	dondon	steadily
  少しずつ	sukoshi zutsu	little by little

  Sample answer:
  このごろだんだん寒くなってきました。
  [Konogoro dandan samuku natte kimashita.]
  It’s gradually getting colder these days.