JLPT N5 Vocabulary – The Usage of “行く” and “来る”
Table of Contents
1. The Usage of “行く” and “来る”
2. The Difference Between “Come” and “行く” / “来る”
3. 行く
4. 来る
5. Let’s Compare
6. Sumary
7. Quiz
8. Similar Articles
9. Comment
Q: In English, people say “I’m coming,” but in Japanese, it is translated as “今行きます” rather than “今来ます.” Are there rules for using “行く” and “来る”?
A: This is because the way of thinking differs between English and Japanese. Here, we will explain the differences along with how to use them properly.
The Difference Between “Come” and “行く” / “来る”
Let’s first consider the basic meanings of each. Both are verbs that express movement between locations, but the key difference lies in the speaker’s perspective.
[Come]
“Come” is used when the speaker or listener (the person being addressed) is present, and the subject moves closer to them or toward the location where they are.
[Japanese “行く” and “来る”]
In Japanese, both “行く” (to go) and “来る” (to come) are used based on the speaker’s perspective.
行く (JLPT N5)
The speaker or the subject moves away from their current location, indicating a movement to another place.
[Example]
明日はどこへ行こうかな。
I wonder where I should go tomorrow.
⇒ The speaker is thinking about moving from their current location to somewhere else.
明日から北海道へ行くんです。
I’m going to Hokkaido from tomorrow.
⇒ The speaker imagines heading toward their destination (Hokkaido), which is why “行く” is used.
妹は12時ぐらいに病院へ行きました。
My younger sister went to the hospital around 12 o’clock.
⇒ This indicates that the subject (the younger sister) moved toward the destination (the hospital).
来る (JLPT N5)
It is used when the subject moves closer to the speaker.
[Examples]
今日、学校に有名な講師が来ました。
A famous lecturer came to the school today.
⇒ This indicates that the famous lecturer moved closer to the speaker’s location.
今日何時にわたしの家に来るの？
What time are you coming to my house today?
⇒ “来る” is used because it conveys the image of the subject moving closer to the speaker.
Additionally, “来る” is used when the speaker or both the speaker and listener are returning to a specific location. In this case, the key point is not the distance between the subject and the speaker but the shared reference point of the location for the speaker and/or listener.
[Examples]
(When the speaker is currently at the café)
よくこのカフェに来ます。
I often come to this café.
⇒ This indicates that the speaker considers the café as a reference point and frequently visits it.
(When both the speaker and the listener are currently at the café)
A「よくこのカフェに来るの？」
B「うん、よく来るよ。」
A: “Do you come to this café often?”
B: “Yeah, I come here a lot.”
⇒ A and B are using the café as a reference point and are talking about the frequency of visiting it.
Let’s Compare
Now, let’s consider the following conversation. Which choice do you think is correct?
A「何時にうちに（① ）の？」
B「そうだね。1時ぐらいに（② ）よ。」
The correct answer is ①来る and ②行く.
A「何時にうちに来るの？」
B「そうだね。1時ぐらいに行くよ。」
A: “What time are you coming to my house?”
B: “Let’s see… I’ll come around 1 o’clock.”
In this case, A imagines B moving closer to them, while B is thinking about leaving their current location and heading toward A’s house.
In Japanese, the choice between “行く” and “来る” is always based on the speaker’s perspective. When the listener becomes the speaker, as in B’s case, the perspective shifts, so attention must be paid to this difference.
Summary
- Both “行く” and “来る” are distinguished based on the speaker’s perspective.
- “行く” is used when the speaker or the other person moves away from their current location or heads toward a destination.
- “来る” expresses the movement of the other person approaching the speaker.
- “来る” is also used when a specific location shared by both the speaker and the other person is set as the reference point.
Quiz
Read the following sentence and choose the expression that fits the context from the options provided in the parentheses.
Click on the question to check the answer.
A. 行きます
父は毎朝7時ぐらいに会社へ行きます。
My father goes to the office around 7 a.m. every morning.
*”行きます” is correct because the father moves away from the speaker’s home and heads to the office.
A. 来ました
友達がわたしの家に遊びに来ました。
My friend came to my house to hang out.
*”来ました” is correct because the friend moved closer to the speaker.
A. 来て/行く
ゆみ「ねえねえ、こっち来て。」
ジョン「今、行くよ。」
Yumi: “Hey, come here!”
John: “I’m coming!”
*”来て” is correct because John is moving closer to Yumi, and “行く” is correct because John is leaving their current location to head toward Yumi.
A. 来たい
このレストランいいね。また来たいね。
This restaurant is great. Let’s come back again.
*”来たい” is correct because the speaker is at the restaurant, making it the reference point.
