〜に行く/来る (Go/Come To Do)
Express purpose: 'go to eat', 'come to see'.
Making Plans
Imagine you are in Japan and you want to tell your friend about your plans for the weekend. You want to say that you are going to a specific place for a specific reason, like going to a restaurant to eat or going to a park to take photos.
しゅうまつはなにをしますか？
週末は何をしますか？
What will you do this weekend?
ともだちとデパートへかいものにいきます。
友達とデパートへ買い物に行きます。
I am going to the department store to shop with a friend.
The Grammar Structure
To express the purpose of going or coming somewhere, we use the stem of a verb (the 'masu-stem') followed by the particle 'ni' and then the verb of movement (iku/kuru).
Tip
Examples in Action
See how this pattern works with different verbs.
日本へ日本語を勉強に来ました。
I came to Japan to study Japanese.
レストランへ昼ご飯を食べに行きます。
I will go to the restaurant to eat lunch.
公園へ写真を撮り【に】行きます。
Hint: The particle indicating purpose.
I will go to the park to take photos.
Usage and Nuance
This pattern is specifically for movement verbs. It is very common in daily life when describing your schedule or intentions.
Purpose vs Destination
デパートへ行きます
Destination focus (I am going to the department store).
デパートへ行きます
デパートへ買い物に行きます
Purpose focus (I am going to the department store to shop).
デパートへ買い物に行きます
Which sentence correctly uses the purpose pattern?
- デパートへ買い物へ行きます。
- ✓ デパートへ買い物に行きます。
- デパートへ買い物に食べます。
We use 'に' to connect the purpose (shopping) to the movement verb (going).
Deep Dive: Verbs of Movement
While 'iku' (go) and 'kuru' (come) are the most common, this pattern can also be used with 'kaeru' (to return).
Lesson Summary
You have learned how to express the purpose of your movement by using the verb stem + に + 行く/来る. This is a fundamental way to explain your daily activities.