Learn How to Use -tekuru and -teiku to Show Verb Motion in Japanese

Does anyone knows the meaning of いってきます ittekimasu? Those who often watch Japanese dramas or animes probably heard it many times. The word itte いってmeans to go, which of course we have learnt it from the previous posts. And why is there a きます kimasu attached after it? So does it means to “to go and come back”? Some of you probably know this word, as its a common expression use in Japan. Lets find out more…

いってききます ittekimasu is use when someone leaves a place and comes back. And in reply to that, the other person will say いってらしゃい itterashyai vice versa which does not really have a direct meaning in English. Think of it as the same meaning of “Take care while you out”.

Now let’s find out more on how to use tekuruてくる and teikuていく in common everyday Japanese language. An example below.

もつ、持つ - to bring

もっていく、持って行く - to bring and go

We learnt that iku いく means to go. So when we combine a verb like motsuもつ with ikuいく you get motteiku which means to bring and go. The verb must first be change to a teて form before you can attach the ikuいく after it.

もつ becomes もって. And もって　＋　いく = もっていく、持って行く

You can even change the iku into kuru, which means “to bring it back” So here are two sentence example below.

ほん　を　もっていく - Bring a book go

ほん　を　もってくる - Bring a book back

You can also combine with other verbs like kau　かう、買う means “to buy”. So you get kattekuru　買ってくる. Which means “to buy back” An example below.

ひるごはん　を　かってくる - Buy lunch back

hiru gohan wo kattekuru

ひる、昼 - afternoon

ひるごはん literally means “afternoon rice” or a better word for it would be lunch. Some might still be abit confuse with this. So here is a simple illustration of it.

The scenario shows friend A and friend B talking over the phone. Friend A living in Tokyo, and Friend B lives in Osaka.

Friend A: きょう、うち　に　くる？- Are you coming over to my house today?

Friend B: 行くよ - Yes, Im going

Friend A: ちなみに、らめん　を　かってくれる？- By the way, can you buy ramen for me?

Friend B：いいよ、じゃあ、かっていく　よ - alright, I’ll buy it (and go over)

うち、家 - house, home

ちなみに - By the way

らめん - Japanes noodles, ramen

Friend B ——-(Noodle Store) かっていく———> Friend A

Now Friend B arrives in Friend A house.

Friend A : あ！たまご　を　わすれた - Oh, I fogot to buy eggs

Friend B: だいじょうぶ、わたし　が　かってくる - Its alright, I’ll go buy them back

たまご、卵 - Eggs

だいじょうぶ、大丈夫 - its aright

Friend A house—– Friend B ——-> (Egg Store)

<———————–かってくる

Can you think of more ways to use tekuru てくる and teiku ていく?

Have fun learning Japanese!