こっちに来て
kocchi ni kite
The English phrase 'get over here' is translated into Japanese as こっちに来て (kocchi ni kite).
This phrase is a command used to tell someone to move from their current location to where the speaker is.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of こっち (kocchi), meaning 'this way' or 'this side', に (ni), a direction particle and 来て (kite), the te-form of the verb 'to come'.
Which one should you use?
The form こっち来い is a much more aggressive, commanding or rough way to say 'get over here', often used by men or in heated situations. If you want to tell someone to come over here again, you would use もっかいこいよ！
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The form ここに来てくれませんか？ is also a polite way to ask, meaning 'Won't you come here?'
How does it change in a sentence?
The default form こっちに来て uses the te-form of the verb, which functions as a soft command or a request in casual conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
kocchi ni kite
Did you know?
- In Japanese culture, beckoning someone to 'come here' is done with the palm facing down and fingers waving toward the speaker, which is the opposite of the English gesture.
- The word こっち (kocchi) is part of a system called 'demonstratives' where the choice of word depends on whether the object is near the speaker, the listener, or far from both.
- The word こっち is a contraction of こちら, which is a much more formal way to express direction. Using the contracted version in a business setting would make you sound unintentionally blunt or overly casual.
Examples in context
- こっちに来て。Get over here.This sentence is useful for practicing the command こっちに来て.Tatoeba #1296635 by bunbuku, translation #3512382 by CK
- こっちに来て！kotchi ni kite!Get over here!
- とりあえず、こっちに来て。toriaezu, kotchi ni kite.For now, get over here.
Example conversation
A young woman calls out to a man in a park.
- 陽葵 Himari大翔、こっちに来て！Hiroto, kotchi ni kite!Hiroto, get over here!
- 大翔 Hiroto今行くよ。Ima iku yo.I'm coming now.
- 陽葵 Himariあそこに落とし物があるよ。Asoko ni otoshimono ga aru yo.There is something dropped over there.
- 大翔 Hirotoわかった、見てみる。Wakatta, mite miru.Okay, I'll check it out.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
