てくる【～てくる】

The grammar structure ～てくる combines the て-form of a verb with くる (to come). It has several distinct but related meanings, all sharing the core idea of movement or change directed toward the speaker or the present moment.

1. Doing something and coming back

One of the most common uses of ～てくる is to express going somewhere to do something and then returning. This is used when you leave your current location, perform an action, and come back.

This is extremely common in everyday speech. The nuance is that the speaker intends to return.

2. Movement toward the speaker

～てくる describes an action that involves movement toward the speaker or the speaker's location.

This contrasts with ～ていく, which describes movement away from the speaker.

3. Gradual change up to now (becoming)

～てくる can describe a change that has been gradually developing up to the present. It often corresponds to English "has gotten" or "has become".

This usage emphasizes the change as it approaches or reaches the present moment. Compare with ～ていく, which describes a change moving into the future.

4. Something starting to happen

Closely related to the gradual change meaning, ～てくる can express the onset of something – a feeling, weather, or condition that is starting now.

5. Continuation from past to present

～てくる can describe an action or state that has continued from the past up to the present.

This emphasizes the effort or experience accumulated up to now.

Conjugation

Since くる is a verb, it conjugates normally:

• Past: ～てきた
• Polite: ～てきます
• Negative: ～てこない
• Polite past: ～てきました