てくる

Come to Do/Gradual Change

Level 2Sounds Like tekuru

The auxiliary verb てくる combines the て-form with くる (to come). It describes actions or changes that move toward the speaker in space, time, or awareness.

How It Works

てくる is a versatile auxiliary verb that conjugates like the irregular verb くる. It is almost always written in hiragana when used grammatically.

1. Spatial Movement (Toward the Speaker)
It indicates an action moving toward the speaker's current physical or psychological position.
Example: 鳥が飛んできた (A bird flew toward me).

2. Physical Movement (Round Trip)
It indicates that someone goes to do something and then returns to the starting point. Without くる, the sentence might only describe the action itself without the implied return.
Example: 買ってきます (I will go buy it and come back).

3. Temporal Change (Past → Present)
It describes a process that started in the past and has continued or developed up to the current moment. It focuses on the present state as the result of that process. This is the opposite of ていく, which describes changes moving from the present into the future.
Example: 分かってきた (I have come to understand).

4. Appearance and Inception (Emergence)
It marks the moment a state, sensation, or physical object appears or begins to be perceived. This covers weather, physical feelings, or ideas 'popping' into the mind.
Example: 太陽が出てきた (The sun came out); 寒くなってきた (It's starting to get cold).

Examples (6)

  1. ちょっとコンビニで飲み物を買ってきます。

    I'm going to go buy a drink at the convenience store (and come back).

    Word by Word: A little / convenience store / at / drink / buy / come.

    Here, てくる indicates the 'round trip' aspect: the speaker will go to the store and return to the current location.

  2. 最近、日本語が少しずつ分かってきました。

    Recently, I have (gradually) come to understand Japanese.

    Word by Word: Recently / Japanese / little by little / understand / came.

    This uses the temporal function, showing a change that started in the past and reached the present state of understanding.

  3. あ、鳥がこちらに飛んできました！

    Oh, a bird flew over here (toward me)!

    Word by Word: Oh / bird / this way / fly / came.

    This demonstrates spatial movement toward the speaker's current location.

  4. 雲の間から太陽が出てきた。

    The sun came out from between the clouds.

    Word by Word: Clouds / between / from / sun / exit / came.

    This shows the 'emergence' function, where something previously hidden comes into view or existence.

  5. この伝統は１００年以上続いてきました。

    This tradition has continued for over 100 years.

    Word by Word: This / tradition / 100 years / more than / continue / came.

    Shows a continuous action or state that has persisted from a point in the past up until now.

  6. いいアイデアが浮かんできた。

    A good idea occurred to me (popped into my head).

    Word by Word: Good / idea / float / came.

    Used for abstract things like ideas or thoughts emerging into the speaker's mind.

Common Mistakes

  • Using てくる for changes moving away from the present into the future.

    これからもっと寒くなってきます。
    これからもっと寒くなっていきます。

    てくる is for changes coming toward the present. For changes moving from the present into the future, use ていく instead.

  • Using てくる for intentional starts.

    本を読んでこよう。
    本を読み始めよう。

    てくる is for spontaneous or natural onsets (like rain or hunger). For intentional actions you decide to start, use 始める.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

てくるLevel 2Come to Do/Gradual Change

Learn This First

To understand 'てくる', you must first be comfortable with the 'て' form of verbs, as this is the grammatical foundation of the pattern. Additionally, since 'てくる' often describes a change in state over time, knowing how to use 'なる' (to become) is highly beneficial for common expressions like 'getting colder' or 'becoming clear'.

Words in This Pattern