JLPT N4 Grammar – The Complete Guide to “〜てくる” and “〜ていく” ④

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. ⑧ Approaching or Moving Away from the Speaker
4. ⑨ Approach Toward the Speaker
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.

⑧ Approaching or Moving Away from the Speaker

Using pairs of motion verbs like “enter ⇔ exit,” this usage expresses whether the movement is toward or away from the speaker.
The reference point is the speaker’s location, and based on that, either “〜てくる” or “〜ていく” is chosen.
Use “〜てくる” when something is approaching the speaker, and “〜ていく” when it is moving away.

[Commonly used verb pairs]
上あがる⇔下さがる(go up ⇔ go down), 上のぼる⇔下くだる(ascend ⇔ descend), 乗のる⇔降おりる(get on ⇔ get off), etc.

[Examples]
男おとこの人ひとは電車でんしゃから降おりてきます。（Approaching the speaker）
The man gets off the train and comes this way.

男おとこの人ひとは電車でんしゃに乗のっていきます。（Moving away from the speaker）
The man gets on the train and goes away.

日本にほん人じんや外国がいこく人じんが富士ふじ山さんの頂上ちょうじょうを目指めざして上のぼっていきます。
Japanese and foreign people are climbing up Mount Fuji toward the summit.

日本にほん人じんや外国がいこく人じんが富士ふじ山さんから下くだってきます。
Japanese and foreign people are coming down from Mount Fuji.

パーティーが始はじまる5分ふん前まえ、人ひとがたくさん会場かいじょうに入はいってきました。
Five minutes before the party started, many people came into the venue.

パーティーが終おわって、人ひとがたくさん会場かいじょうから出でていきました。
After the party ended, many people left the venue.

⑨ Approach Toward the Speaker

The ninth usage of “〜てくる” expresses how objects or sensations naturally move closer to the speaker.
In this usage, the form “〜ていく” is not used.

[Commonly used verbs]
（物ものを）送おくる(send an object), （電話でんわが）かかる(receive a phone call), 聞きこえる(be heard), においがする(smell) etc.

[Examples: Approach of objects]
母ははが国くにから手紙てがみを送おくってきました。(Target: the letter)
My mother sent me a letter from my home country.

友達ともだちから電話でんわがかかってきました。(Target: the incoming call)
I got a phone call from a friend.

[Examples: Sensory perception]
台所だいどころからいいにおいがしてきます。
A nice smell is coming from the kitchen.

隣となりの家いえからピアノのきれいな音おとが聞きこえてきます。
A beautiful piano sound is coming from the house next door.

Summary

[⑧ Approaching or Moving Away from the Speaker]

• This use involves a pair of motion verbs to express movement toward or away from the speaker.
• Use “〜てくる” when someone or something is approaching the speaker, and “〜ていく” when moving away from the speaker.

[⑨ Approach of Objects or Sensations]

• This describes how objects or sensations naturally come closer to the speaker.
• In this usage, only “〜てくる” is used—“〜ていく” is not applicable.

Similer Articles

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