行く
iku[ikɯ̟]
In Japanese, "going" is translated as 行く (iku).
The verb 行く means to go, describing the action of moving from one place to another. If you want to express the specific idea of going out or heading somewhere for a particular purpose, the verb 出かける is often used.
How does it change in a sentence?
行く can be conjugated into several forms: 行きます is the polite form meaning "go" or "will go", 行った is the past tense meaning "went" and 行かない is the negative form meaning "not go" or "won't go". Additionally, the informal phrase 行ってくる conveys the specific idea of "going and coming back".
How do you pronounce it?
iku
Did you know?
- When someone says 行ってきます (ittekimasu) upon leaving, the person staying behind typically replies 行ってらっしゃい (itterasshai), which translates to 'please go and come back'.
- While modern speakers say 行く (iku), you may encounter the version 行く (yuku) in classical literature or poetry. This older form is often seen as more elegant or traditional due to its presence in ancient texts like the Man'yōshū.
- In Japanese, you can use 行く to describe a process that is 'going' or progressing, such as how a project is 'going' or how a story 'goes'.
Examples in context
- どこ行くの？Where are you going to?This sentence is useful for asking where someone is going with 行く.Tatoeba #3595435 by tommy_san, translation #371443 by saeb
- 外に行くの？Are you going outside?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is going outside with 行く.Tatoeba #8717287 by bunbuku, translation #2890939 by CK
- 投票に行く？Are you going to vote?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is going to vote with 行く.Tatoeba #8764339 by bunbuku, translation #8311553 by CK
- 学校へ行きます。I am going to school.
- 明日東京に行く予定です。I have plans to go to Tokyo tomorrow.
- 今日は友達と映画に出かけます。I'm going to the movies with my friend today.
- 彼は出張で大阪に出かけました。He went to Osaka on a business trip.
- パーティーに行くよ！I'm going to the party!
- 明日学校へ行くよ。I'm going to school tomorrow.
- コンビニに行ってくるね！I'm going to the convenience store, I'll be right back!
- おばあちゃんの家に行ってくるよ。I'm going to grandma's house, I'll be back.
- 441 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota are at home in the morning.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太君は今からどこに行くの？Yota-kun wa ima kara doko ni iku no?Yota, where are you going now?
- 陽太 Yota駅に行くよ。Eki ni iku yo.I'm going to the station.
- 美咲 Misaki今日は買い物に行くの？Kyou wa kaimono ni iku no?Are you going shopping today?
- 陽太 Yotaううん、銀行に行くんだ。Uun, ginkou ni ikun da.No, I'm going to the bank.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 行く, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 行く, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
