JLPT N4 Grammar – The Complete Guide to “〜てくる” and “〜ていく” ③

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. ⑥ State of Movement
4. ⑦ Directionality
5. Summary
6. Similer 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.

⑥ State of Movement

“〜てくる” and “〜ていく” are also used to express the means or condition of movement, as well as actions that occur in parallel with movement.
In this usage, they are typically used together with verbs related to movement or means of transportation.

[Commonly used verbs]
持もつ(carry), 連つれる(bring along), 運はこぶ(transport), 送おくる(send), 迎むかえる(pick up), 歩あるく( walk), 走はしる(run) etc.

[Examples]
・A situation where someone carries an object while moving
荷物にもつを持もっていきます。
I’ll take the luggage with me.

後輩こうはいは大おおきい箱はこを会議かいぎ室しつまで運はこんできてくれました。
My junior colleague brought a large box to the meeting room.

・Means of transportation used for moving from place to place
今日きょうは電車でんしゃに乗のってきました。
I came by train today.

渋谷しぶや駅えきまで遠とおいから、タクシーに乗のっていきましょう。
Since Shibuya Station is far, let’s take a taxi there.

・When assisting someone with their movement or transportation
妻つまは子こどもを学校がっこうまで送おくっていきました。
My wife took our child to school.

父ちちが車くるまで駅えきまで迎むかえに来きて、そのままここまで連つれてきてくれました。
My dad drove to the station to pick me up and brought me straight here.

・When a person or an animal moves together with someone else
先週せんしゅうは子こどもを動物どうぶつ園えんへ連つれていきました。
Last week, I took my child to the zoo.

このカフェは犬いぬを連つれてきてもいいです。
You’re allowed to bring your dog to this café.

⑦ Directionality

When used with verbs that express movement,
“〜てくる” indicates movement toward the speaker,
while “〜ていく” indicates movement away from the speaker’s current location.

[Commonly used verbs]
歩あるく(walk), 走はしる(run), 飛とぶ(fly), 流ながれる(flow), 逃にげる(escape), etc.

[Examples]
犬いぬがこちらへ走はしってきました。
The dog ran this way.

この水みずは山やまから町まちへ流ながれてきます。
This water flows down from the mountains into the town.

犯人はんにんは北きたのほうへ逃にげていきました。
The suspect ran away to the north.

あの鳥とりは冬ふゆになると、日本にほんから外国がいこくへ飛とんでいきます。
That bird flies from Japan to other countries in the winter.

Summary

[⑥ State of Movement]

• This expresses the means or condition of movement, or an action that takes place simultaneously with movement.
• For this reason, it is often used together with verbs that indicate movement or means of transport.

[⑦ Directionality]

• Used with motion-related verbs, “〜てくる” expresses movement toward the speaker, while “〜ていく” expresses movement away from the speaker.

Similer Articles

---

▼ Subscribe to Our Newsletter ▼

Receive free tips for learning Japanese!

Comment for any questions!