ていく (te-iku) vs てくる (te-kuru)
What's the Difference?
Quick Answer
Use ていく when the action is moving away, and てくる when it's moving towards you. This direction of change affects the verb form.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Aspect | ていく (te-iku) | てくる (te-kuru) |
|---|---|---|
| JLPT | N4 | N4 |
| Formality | neutral | neutral |
| Direction | away from the speaker | towards the speaker |
| Movement | leaving or departing | approaching or arriving |
| Perspective | focused on the subject's action | focused on the speaker's perspective |
ていく (te-iku)
JLPT: N4 | Formality: neutral
- Direction: away from the speaker
- Movement: leaving or departing
- Perspective: focused on the subject's action
てくる (te-kuru)
JLPT: N4 | Formality: neutral
- Direction: towards the speaker
- Movement: approaching or arriving
- Perspective: focused on the speaker's perspective
Example Sentences
ていく (te-iku)
私は東京に行っています
watashi wa Tōkyō ni itte imasu
I'm going to Tokyo
友達はパーティーに行ってくれた
tomodachi wa pātī ni itte kureta
My friend went to the party
彼は仕事に行っています
kare wa shigoto ni itte imasu
He's going to work
てくる (te-kuru)
友達は私の家に来てくれた
tomodachi wa watashi no ie ni kite kureta
My friend came to my house
彼女は日本に帰ってきます
kanojo wa Nihon ni kaette kimasu
She's coming back to Japan
彼は店に来てくれる
kare wa mise ni kite kureru
He'll come to the store
Common Mistakes
- ⚠ Using ていく and てくる interchangeably without considering the direction of movement
- ⚠ Forgetting to adjust the verb form according to the direction of change
- ⚠ Not accounting for the speaker's perspective when choosing between ていく and てくる
Memory Tip
💡 Imagine a train: if it's leaving the station (away from you), use ていく, but if it's arriving (towards you), use てくる
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