Go, come, return home

The words

How they differ

These are polite "do" forms ending in ます (masu). Use them for going somewhere, coming somewhere, or heading home.

Destination often takes に (ni):

「えき に いきます。」(eki ni ikimasu): I go to the station.

「うち に かえります。」(uchi ni kaerimasu): I go home.

いきます (ikimasu) = the speaker (or subject) moves away to a place. きます (kimasu) = someone moves toward the place you're talking from. かえります (kaerimasu) is specially "return home / go back" — not just any return.

For now, learn whole lines. Past and "don't" forms come in the next polarity lesson.

Three moves: go · come · home. いきます = go out, きます = come in, かえります = home again.

One line: いきます・きます・かえります.

Next: Eat and drink: たべます / のみます (tabemasu / nomimasu).

See it in a sentence

1. eki ni ikimasu

   えき に いきます。

   I'm going to the station. (polite)

2. uchi ni kaerimasu

   うち に かえります。

   I'm going home. (polite)

3. ashita kimasu

   あした きます。

   I'll come tomorrow. (polite)

4. doko ni ikimasu ka?

   どこ に いきますか?

   Where are you going? (polite)

5. nihon ni ikimasu

   にほん に いきます。

   I'm going to Japan. (polite)

Watch out

いきます (ikimasu) = go (away from here) / きます (kimasu) = come (toward here) かえります (kaerimasu) = return home / go back — not the same as plain "go" いきたいです (ikitai desu) = I want to go (wish) / いきます (ikimasu) = I go (action)

Try it

1. In your next story, find いきます, きます, or かえります once. Say the line out loud and name the destination if there is one.

   Check against the lesson cluster and say it out loud.