Posted inN4 Grammar

Mastering ていく (te iku): Moving Forward in Japanese

Posted inN4 Grammar
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Indicates movement away from the speaker or a change/continuation that progresses into the future.

🎯 Primary Function

To express physical movement away from the current location/speaker, or to describe a state, action, or change that starts now or in the past and continues/develops into the future.

📋 Grammar Structure

Verb て-form + いく (iku)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Can be used in formal contexts, especially when describing trends or future developments (e.g., 人口が減っていく – The population will decrease).

😊 Informal Situations

Very common in informal conversation for both physical movement and ongoing situations.

✍️ Written Language

Used in written Japanese, especially in narrative texts or articles discussing trends.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Extremely common in spoken Japanese.

💡 Common Applications

Physical movement away from the speaker
Describes an action of moving and going away from where the speaker is.
Example: 駅まで歩いていきます。(Eki made aruite ikimasu.) – I will walk to the station (and go there).
Change or progression over time
Indicates a change, development, or state that progresses from the present or past into the future.
Example: これからも日本語の勉強を続けていきます。(Korekara mo Nihongo no benkyou o tsudzukete ikimasu.) – I will continue studying Japanese from now on.
Action that starts now and continues into the future
Describes an action that begins at the time of speaking or recently and continues moving forward.
Example: その問題については、これから考えていきます。(Sono mondai ni tsuite wa, korekara kangaete ikimasu.) – Regarding that problem, I will think about it from now on.
📊
Frequency
Very frequent.
🎚️
Difficulty
Intermediate (N4). While the form is simple, understanding the nuances of its different meanings requires practice.
Example Sentences
公園まで走っていきました。
I ran to the park (and went there).
子供たちは大きくなっていきます。
The children are growing up.
来年も一緒に旅行に行きましょう。そして、これからもずっと一緒に過ごしていきたいです。
Let’s travel together next year too. And from now on, I want to keep spending time together forever.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Direction matters
~ていく generally implies movement *away* from the speaker/current location, or a change progressing *forward* in time.
Example: 家から学校へ歩いていきます。(Ie kara gakkou e aruite ikimasu.) – I walk from my house to school (away from the house).
Change over time
It is frequently used to describe gradual changes or processes unfolding into the future.
Example: 地球温暖化が進んでいきます。(Chikyuu ondanka ga susunde ikimasu.) – Global warming is progressing.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Confusing with ~てくる
✅ ~ていく is movement/change away from the speaker/present; ~てくる is movement/change towards the speaker/present.
If you walked to the park and came back, you’d use ~ていく for the going part and ~てくる for the coming back part.
❌ Using it only for physical movement
✅ Remember it also indicates change and continuation over time.
It’s not just for walking away; it’s for situations developing or actions continuing.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral.
Social Situations: Used widely in various social situations.
Regional Variations: Standard Japanese.

🔍 Subtle Differences

~ていく vs. ~てくる
~ていく: Action/state moving away from speaker/present (spatially or temporally). ~てくる: Action/state moving towards speaker/present (spatially or temporally).
When to use: Use ~ていく when the action/change goes away from you or forward in time. Use ~てくる when it comes towards you or from the past to the present.
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📝 Conjugation Notes

Attach to the て-form of the verb. The verb いく conjugates normally (いきます, 行った, 行かない, etc.).

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Standard Japanese pronunciation. The う in いく is often slightly elongated.

🧠 Memory Tips

Imagine an arrow pointing *away* from you or *forward* in time. て + “go”.

Practice Exercises
Choose the correct sentence: The population is decreasing from now on.
人口はこれから減ってきました。
人口はこれから減っていきます。
人口はこれから減っています。
人口はこれから減りました。
Choose the sentence that means “I will take this bag with me (when I go).”
このカバンを持ってきました。
このカバンを持っていきます。
このカバンを持っています。
このカバンを持っていました。
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