Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 行く | iku | [ikɯ̟] (narrow) [jɯ̟kɯ̟] (narrow) |
|
| いらっしゃる | irassharu | [iɾa̠ɕːa̠ɾɯ̟] (narrow) | honorific |
| 参る | mairu | [ma̠iɾɯ̟] (narrow) | humble |
The verb 行く is used to describe moving through space, specifically from one place to another.
Which one should you use?
Japanese uses different forms depending on the social relationship between the speaker and the subject. Use the honorific form いらっしゃる when referring to the movement of a person of higher status, such as a guest or a customer, to show respect. Conversely, use the humble form 参る when referring to your own movement to show humility toward the listener.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
行く is the informal way to say "go". For a polite version, you can use 行きます. Use いらっしゃる to show respect toward someone of higher status and 参る to show humility about your own actions.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The polite form of 行く is 行きます. To express the past tense, use 行った. To express the negative (do not go or will not go), use 行かない.
How do you pronounce it?
iku
Did you know?
- The honorific verb いらっしゃる is used not only for 'going' but also for 'coming' and 'being' in a location.
- The honorific form いらっしゃる actually evolved from a combination of three different verbs and auxiliary verbs to create a layered level of respect.
- The humble form 参る is closely related to the act of visiting a social superior or a shrine.
Examples in context
- 誰が行くの？Who'll go?This sentence is useful for asking who will perform the action of going using 行く.Tatoeba #4900332 by huizi99, translation #2203689 by CK
- 市場に行く。I will go to the market.This sentence is useful for stating that you will go to a specific location using 行く.Tatoeba #5117746 by 999yudai, translation #4168189 by Wuzzy
- 行くべきだ。I ought to go.This sentence is useful for expressing an obligation to go using 行く.Tatoeba #8579883 by small_snow, translation #3593396 by CK
- 映画館に行く？Want to go to the cinema?
- 家族と一緒に旅行に行きたい。I want to go on a trip with my family.
- ビーチに行くGo to the beach
- 公園へ行くGo to the park
- 701 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota are planning their weekend trip.
- 陽太 Yota明日、どこに行く？Ashita, doko ni iku?Where are you going tomorrow?
- 美咲 Misaki京都にいく予定だよ。Kyoto ni iku yotei da yo.I plan to go to Kyoto.
- 陽太 Yotaいいなあ、僕も行きたい。Ii naa, boku mo ikitai.That sounds nice, I want to go too.
- 美咲 Misakiじゃあ、一緒にいこう！Jaa, issho ni ikou!Then, let's go together!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “go” translations and entries 行く, いらっしゃる, 参る, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries いらっしゃる, 参る, 行く, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
