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Japanese Grammar: 〜てくる / 〜ていく = Time
Let’s talk about how things change over time in Japanese using two powerful expressions: 〜てくる & 〜ていく!
💡 〜てくる
🔹 Structure: Verb (て-form) + くる
🔸 Used when a change started in the past and is continuing to the present.
📘 Examples from the image:
暖かくなってきた。(It has gotten warm.)
大きくなってきた。(It has gotten big!)
→ You feel the change happening up to now.
💡 〜ていく
🔹 Structure: Verb (て-form) + いく
🔸 Used when a change starts now and will continue into the future.
💡 So what’s the difference?
🔁 〜てくる = past ➡️ now
➡️ (Something has been changing until this point)
🔜 〜ていく = now ➡️ future
➡️ (Something is starting to change and will continue)
💬 Try it!
🌸 春になって、花が咲いてきた。
→ The flowers have started blooming (from before until now).
🏃♂️ これからもっと速く走っていく。
→ I’ll keep running faster from now on.
Related Post:
Important Grammar Sample List
Japanese basic verbs: ますform → Dictionary form, Nai-form
