Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 戻る | modoru | [mo̞do̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
| 帰る | kaeru | [ka̠e̞ɾɯ̟] (narrow) |
To 'come back' in Japanese, you choose a word based on whether you are returning to a physical location, a previous state or your own home. 戻る is used when returning to a specific physical location, a previous position or a previous state. It is also used metaphorically to mean returning to a topic in a conversation or returning to a previous state in a process. 帰る is used specifically when the return implies going back to one's own home, one's country or a place where one belongs.
Which one should you use?
The choice between these two forms depends on the destination and the nature of the return. Use 帰る when the return implies moving toward a place of origin or one's home. Use 戻る when the return refers to a specific physical location, a previous position or a previous state, regardless of whether that place is considered 'home'.
How do you pronounce it?
modoru
Did you know?
- The concept of 戻る is used in digital interfaces for the 'back' button in a web browser, treating the previous page as a previous state.
- In a professional environment, saying 戻りました (I have returned) is not just a statement of fact, but a standard social ritual used to announce your presence back at your desk.
- The verb 帰る can be used by expatriates to mean 'returning to one's home country', even if they have not lived there for many years and own no property there.
Examples in context
- なるべく早く帰るよ。I'll come back home as soon as I can.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 帰る when talking about returning home.Tatoeba #8993674 by bunbuku, translation #464757 by CK
- 父がいつ戻るか知りません。I don't know when my father will come back.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 戻る regarding a person's return.Tatoeba #84884 by bunbuku, translation #318829 by CK
- 私が戻るまでここで待ってて。Wait here till I come back.This sentence is useful for practicing the use of 戻る when expressing a temporal condition.Tatoeba #167392 by bunbuku, translation #20452 by CK
- 会議室に戻ってください。Please come back to the meeting room.
- 忘れ物を取りに戻ってきてください。Please come back to retrieve your forgotten item.
- 13 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are talking at a cafe about a friend who left.
- 蓮 Ren彼はいつ戻るのかな？Kare wa itsu modoru no kana?I wonder when he will come back?
- 美咲 Misakiすぐ戻ると思うよ。Sugu modoru to omou yo.I think he will come back soon.
- 蓮 Ren美咲は彼を待ってるの？Misaki wa kare o matteru no?Are you waiting for him, Misaki?
- 美咲 Misakiうん、待ってるよ。Un, matteru yo.Yes, I am waiting.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “come back” translations and entries 戻る, 帰る, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
