来る

Japanese JLPT N5 Vocabulary Japanese ★★★★★ 5/5 neutral くるkuru
Reading くる
Romaji kuru
Kanji breakdown 来 (rai/ku) — to come, to arrive
Pronunciation /kɯ.ɾɯ/

Meaning

To come; to arrive; to approach. Expresses movement towards the speaker.

A Group 3 (irregular) intransitive verb — one of only two irregular verbs in Japanese alongside する. Its conjugation is unique: 来ます (kimasu), 来た (kita), 来ない (konai), 来て (kite). The auxiliary form てくる expresses movement towards the speaker or a change that has been developing up to the present.

Examples

  1. 友達が家に来ます。 My friend is coming to my house.
  2. バスがもう来た。 The bus already came.
  3. 日本に来てから三年です。 It's been three years since I came to Japan.

Usage Guide

Context: daily life, travel, invitations

Tone: neutral

Origin & History

From Old Japanese ku. The kanji 来 originally depicted a wheat plant, later borrowed for its phonetic value to represent the concept of coming or arriving.

Cultural Context

Era: Ancient

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal

Related Phrases

ある To be; to exist; to have. The fundamental verb for expressing the existence of inanimate objects and abstract things. くれる To give (to me/us); to do something for me/us. Used when someone gives something to the speaker. する To do; to carry out; to perform. The single most versatile verb in Japanese, used to form countless compound verbs. なる To become; to get; to grow; to turn into. Expresses change of state — one of the most frequently used verbs in Japanese. もらう To receive; to get; to accept. Used when you receive something from someone. 上がる To rise; to go up; to ascend. Describes upward movement of things, prices, temperature, or entering a home. 上げる To raise; to elevate; to give (to someone of equal or lower status). 乗る To get on; to ride; to board. Used for all types of transportation — trains, buses, planes, bicycles.
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