てくる means come to; do and come back. 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 てくる mean and when should you use it?
What does てくる mean?
Use てくる when you want to express come to; do and come back in a Japanese sentence.
Natural translations include:
- come to; do and come back
- come to
- do and come back
How to form てくる
Verb て-form + くる
Examples of the pattern:
- Verb て-form + くる
- てくる
- related form: ていく
When is てくる used?
Use てくる 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
てくる example sentences
- ちょっと水を買ってきます。 — I will go buy some water and come back.
- 寒くなってきました。 — It has started to get cold.
- 日本語が少し分かってきました。 — I have started to understand Japanese a little.
- 友達が走ってきました。 — My friend came running.
- 宿題をしてきました。 — I did the homework before coming here.
Nuance of てくる
The key nuance is come to; do and come back in context, not a word-for-word English replacement.
This matters because てくる often changes the relationship between actions, people, time, or evidence in the sentence. Read the whole sentence before choosing the English translation.
てくる vs ていく
Both patterns can appear in related sentences, but they do different jobs.
てくる:
- is the target JLPT N4 pattern in this lesson
- focuses on come to; do and come back
ていく:
- 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: ちょっと水を買ってきます。 — I will go buy some water and come back.
- Related pattern with ていく: compare what changes in evidence, timing, direction, or politeness.
Common mistakes with てくる
Watch out for these mistakes:
- Copying a dictionary gloss without checking the sentence context
- Using the wrong verb, adjective, or noun form
- Confusing てくる with ていく because the English can sound similar
Is てくる on the JLPT?
Yes. てくる 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 てくる
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 てくる with Kanjiru
If you want to review てくる together with kanji, vocabulary, and other JLPT N4 patterns, Kanjiru helps you practice Japanese in short, focused sessions.
Browse more lessons here: