行ってきます
ittekimasu
In Japanese, "I am leaving" is translated as 行ってきます (ittekimasu).
行ってきます is used when departing from a place, such as a home or an office, with the intention of returning later.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is a combination of the verb iku (to go) and kuru (to come), literally meaning "I will go and [then] come back".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While 行ってきます is a standard way to express this, the informal version いってきます is common when leaving home and you might use 行ってくるね when speaking with friends or family. In more formal or different contexts, such as leaving a place or ending a conversation, you might use しつれいします to politely excuse yourself or お先に失礼します if you are leaving before other people.
How do you pronounce it?
ittekimasu
When do people say it?
When someone says 行ってきます, the standard response from those staying behind is 行ってらっしゃい, which serves as a way to say "Please go and come back".
Did you know?
- If you are leaving your desk at work before your colleagues have finished, you say お先に失礼します, which literally translates to 'I am being rude by leaving ahead of you'.
- Because 行ってきます implies a return, saying it when leaving a job you have just quit would be confusing or unintentionally humorous to a Japanese colleague.
- The responder's phrase, 行ってらっしゃい, is actually a command or a wish for the person to 'go and do' their business safely before returning.
Examples in context
- それでは、行ってきます。sore de wa, ittekimasu.Well then, I'm off.
- 朝、行ってきますと言いました。asa, ittekimasu to iimashita.I said "I'm leaving" this morning.
Example conversation
A husband and wife at the entrance of their home in the morning.
- 陽太 Yota行ってきます。ittekimasu.I'm leaving.
- 美咲 Misaki陽太さん、行ってらっしゃい！Youta-san, itterasshai!Have a good day, Youta!
- 陽太 Yota行ってきます！ittekimasu!I'm off!
- 美咲 Misaki気をつけてね。ki o tsukete ne.Take care.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 行ってきます, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
