Follow where the person starts and where they are going. 行く, 来る, and 帰る describe movement from different viewpoints, even when English could use “go.”
Choose a viewpoint first
行く describes going away toward a destination. 来る describes coming toward the speaker’s location or another adopted reference point. 帰る describes returning to a home or other place treated as a base. The correct choice depends on the scene, not just the transport used.
If you are at home and a friend is travelling to your home, the friend is 来ます from your viewpoint. If you leave home for the library, you 行きます. Later, you can 家に帰ります. In a phone conversation, explicitly naming the place can make a viewpoint clearer.
Learn the particle with the verb
A destination can be marked with に or へ in these simple movement sentences. A means of transport commonly uses で, as in 電車で行きます. Walking is normally 歩いて行きます, not a mechanical replacement with 歩きで. The questions name the viewpoint and requested form.
Examples to read before you practise
Japanese | Reading / English |
|---|---|
行く | いく — go |
来る | くる — come |
帰る | かえる — return home / to a base |
行きます | いきます — polite go |
来ます | きます — polite come |
帰ります | かえります — polite return |
電車で行きます。 | I go by train. |
歩いて帰ります。 | I walk home. |
Try six questions
Try these self-check questions from memory, then compare your answers with the explanations. For automatic checking and saved progress, open the related practice after this article.
You leave home for the library. Type polite non-past of 行く.
A friend is travelling to you at home. Type polite non-past of 来る.
You return home after class. Type polite non-past of 帰る.
電車（ ）行きます。 Mark the means of transport.
行く → te form
来る → polite past
Answer key and explanations
行きます / いきます — The movement is away toward the library.
来ます / きます — The friend is coming toward your location.
帰ります / かえります — 帰る describes returning to your base.
で — で marks the means here.
行って / いって — 行く is the って exception.
来ました / きました — The reading is きました.
Keep learning
Related lessons
Try what you have just read
Recognise the pattern, write an answer from memory, then use it in a short reading. Your existing progress carries over.
Open the three-step lessonSources
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