JLPT N4 Grammar – The Complete Guide to “〜てくる” and “〜ていく” ①

Table of Contents

1. Difference between “〜てくる” and “〜ていく”
2. Various Uses of “〜てくる” and “〜ていく”
3. ① Go and Return
4. ② Sequential Actions
5. Summary
6. Similar Articles
7. Comment

Q: What’s the difference between “〜てくる” and “〜ていく”? I don’t really understand how to use them.

A:These two expressions have nine different meanings and uses.
In this series, we’ll explain them step by step so you can learn to use each one correctly.
Although they may look similar, there are clear rules for when to use “〜てくる” and when to use “〜ていく.”
We’ll introduce each usage with simple explanations, example sentences, and illustrations.
Let’s deepen your understanding little by little and learn to use them naturally.

Various Uses of “〜てくる” and “〜ていく”

First, let’s get a general idea of how these two expressions are used differently.

Meanings	てくる	ていく	Examples
① Go and return	○	×	昼ひるご飯はんを食たべてくるよ。 I’ll go eat lunch and come back.
② Sequential actions	○	○	先生せんせいに許可きょかをもらってきてください。 Please get permission from the teacher and come back. トムさんの家いえへ行いくときに、ワインを買かっていきましょう。 Let’s buy some wine when we go to Tom’s house.
③ Change	○	○	半袖はんそでを着きる人ひとが増ふえてきました。 More people have started wearing short sleeves. 季節きせつは春はるから夏なつへと変かわっていきます。 The season is changing from spring to summer.
④ Appearance of change	○	×	だんだん眠ねむくなってきました。 I’m gradually getting sleepy.
⑤ Continuation	○	○	これまで小しょう学校がっこうの教師きょうしとして働はたらいてきました。 I’ve been working as an elementary school teacher. これからもみんなで頑張がんばっていきましょう！ Let’s keep doing our best together!
⑥ State of movement	○	○	今日きょうはお弁当べんとうを持もってきました。 I brought a bento today. 明日あしたのパーティーに妻つまも連つれていきます。 I’ll bring my wife to tomorrow’s party.
⑦ Direction	○	○	ボールがこちらへ飛とんできました。 A ball came flying this way. 鳥とりが山やまへ飛とんでいきます。 A bird flew off toward the mountain.
⑧ Approach/Departure from speaker	○	○	たくさんの人ひとが電車でんしゃから降おりてきます。 Many people are getting off the train. 生徒せいとが教室きょうしつから出でていきました。 The students left the classroom.
⑨ Approach to speaker	○	×	素敵すてきな音楽おんがくが聞きこえてきます。 I hear some beautiful music. なにかあまいにおいがしてきますよ。 Something sweet is in the air.

① Go and Return

This expresses temporarily leaving a place for a specific purpose, completing the task, and then returning to the original location.
Note: In this meaning, “〜ていく” is not used, so be careful.

[Commonly used verbs with this pattern]
行いく(go), 買かう(buy), 食たべる(eat), 聞きく(ask), 取とる(take), 持もつ(bring), etc.

[Examples]
コンビニでジュースを買かってくるよ。
I’ll go buy some juice at the convenience store and come back.

駅員えきいんさんに行いき方かたを聞きいてくるから、ここで待まっててね。
I’ll ask the station staff how to get there, so please wait here.

あそこでパンフレットをもらってきます。
I’ll go get a brochure over there and come back.

② Sequential Actions

This use describes doing something at one place and then moving on to another.
It’s similar to ①, but the difference is as follows:
① means “returning to the same place,”
② means “moving away from the starting place.”

In this usage, both “〜てくる” and “〜ていく” can be used.
Their meanings are:
“〜ていく”: movement away from the speaker or the current location
“〜てくる”: movement toward the speaker or the current location

[Examples]
病院びょういんへ来くる途中とちゅうで、花はなを買かってきたよ。
I bought some flowers on the way to the hospital.
⇒ [Starting point] flower shop (movement) → [Destination] hospital

日本にほんに引っ越ひ　こす前まえに、日本にほん語ごを勉強べんきょうしていきます。
I’ll study Japanese before moving to Japan.
⇒ [Starting point] home country (movement) → [Destination] Japan

ここへ来くるとき、郵便ゆうびん局きょくに寄よってきました。
I stopped by the post office on my way here.

A社しゃへ行いく前まえに、昼ご飯ひる　はんを食たべていきましょう。
Before going to Company A, let’s have lunch.

Summary

• “〜てくる” and “〜ていく” have a total of nine main uses.
• Use ① of “〜てくる” means to temporarily leave a place for a purpose, do something, and then return to the same place. *In this case, “〜ていく” is not used.
• Use ② of both “〜てくる” and “〜ていく” means to do something at one place and then move to another.
• The key difference is:① = returning to the same place, ② = moving away from the starting point.

Similer Articles

---

▼ Subscribe to Our Newsletter ▼

Receive free tips for learning Japanese!

Comment for any questions!