ていく: go on doing; move away while doing

ていく means go on doing; move away while doing. It is a JLPT N4 Japanese grammar pattern used to express this idea in natural Japanese.

This English meaning is written independently from the source list so it answers the learner question directly: what does ていく mean and when should you use it?

What does ていく mean?

Use ていく when you want to express go on doing; move away while doing in a Japanese sentence.

Natural translations include:

• go on doing; move away while doing
• go on doing
• move away while doing

How to form ていく

Verb て-form + いく

Examples of the pattern:

• Verb て-form + いく
• ていく
• related form: てくる

When is ていく used?

Use ていく in situations like:

• reading or writing JLPT N4-level sentences
• making a sentence more precise than a basic N5 pattern
• recognizing natural grammar in conversation or short passages

Tone and register:

• usually neutral unless the pattern itself is casual, humble, honorific, or written
• common in JLPT N4 grammar study and everyday examples

ていく example sentences

• これからも日本語を勉強していきます。 — I will keep studying Japanese from now on.
• 鳥が空へ飛んでいきました。 — The bird flew away into the sky.
• 人口は少しずつ減っていきます。 — The population will gradually decrease.
• この習慣を続けていきたいです。 — I want to keep this habit going.
• 子どもたちは走っていきました。 — The children ran away.

Nuance of ていく

The key nuance is go on doing; move away while doing in context, not a word-for-word English replacement.

This matters because ていく often changes the relationship between actions, people, time, or evidence in the sentence. Read the whole sentence before choosing the English translation.

ていく vs てくる

Both patterns can appear in related sentences, but they do different jobs.

ていく:

• is the target JLPT N4 pattern in this lesson
• focuses on go on doing; move away while doing

てくる:

• is useful for comparison because learners often confuse nearby forms
• may change the tone, evidence, direction, or relationship in the sentence

Quick contrast examples:

• Target pattern: これからも日本語を勉強していきます。 — I will keep studying Japanese from now on.
• Related pattern with てくる: compare what changes in evidence, timing, direction, or politeness.

Common mistakes with ていく

Watch out for these mistakes:

• Copying a dictionary gloss without checking the sentence context
• Using the wrong verb, adjective, or noun form
• Confusing ていく with てくる because the English can sound similar

Is ていく on the JLPT?

Yes. ていく is connected to JLPT N4 grammar in this blog.

That means learners should be able to:

• recognize it in reading
• understand its nuance in context
• use it in simple original sentences

Practice questions for ていく

Try making your own sentences with these prompts:

• Write one short sentence using the basic structure.
• Replace the subject, time, or object and keep the same grammar point.
• Compare your sentence with the related pattern above.

Learn ていく with Kanjiru

If you want to review ていく together with kanji, vocabulary, and other JLPT N4 patterns, Kanjiru helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions.

Browse more lessons here:

• All grammar lessons
• JLPT N4 grammar lessons