What does it mean word for word?
歩いて is the te-form of the verb aruku (to walk), functioning here as an adverbial phrase meaning "by walking" or "on foot". 学校に means "to school", where the particle に indicates the destination or direction of movement. 行きます is the verb for "go" or "will go".
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
If you are speaking to friends or family, you can use the informal dictionary form 歩いて学校に行く. Additionally, in formal situations, you can use watakushi instead of watashi to refer to yourself.
How does it change in a sentence?
The verb 行きます is in the polite non-past form, which can express either a habitual action, such as "I walk to school every day" or a future intention, such as "I will walk to school". To express that you walked to school in the past, use the polite past form 歩いて学校に行きました.
How do you pronounce it?
aruite gakkou ni ikimasu
Did you know?
- In Japan, many primary school children walk to school in groups called shūdan tōkō, led by a designated student leader and sometimes an adult volunteer.
- While aruku means 'to walk', the phrase aruku can also be used figuratively in Japanese to mean 'to make progress' or 'to move forward' in a project or negotiation.
- The word for school gakkō is composed of two kanji characters that literally mean 'learning' and 'building'.
Examples in context
- 私は学校へ歩いて行きます。I walk to school.
- 私は学校へ徒歩で通っています。I commute to school on foot.
- 毎日、学校へ歩いて行きます。Every day, I walk to school.
- 朝、学校へは歩いて通っています。In the morning, I commute to school on foot.
- 学校へは徒歩で行きます。I go to school on foot.
- 学校まで歩いて通学します。I commute to school by walking.
- 毎日、歩いて学校に行きます。Mainichi, aruite gakko ni ikimasu.I walk to school every day.
- 今日は歩いて学校に行きます。Kyo wa aruite gakko ni ikimasu.I am walking to school today.
- バスではなく、歩いて学校に行きます。Basu dewa naku, aruite gakko ni ikimasu.I walk to school instead of taking the bus.
Example conversation
Two students are talking about their commute to school.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔くんは、どうやって学校に来るの？Hiroto-kun wa, dō yatte gakkō ni kuru no?Hiroto, how do you get to school?
- 大翔 Hiroto僕はいつも歩いて学校に行きます。Boku wa itsumo aruite gakkō ni ikimasu.I always walk to school.
- 美咲 Misakiいいですね。私はバスで来ています。Ii desu ne. Watashi wa basu de kite imasu.That's nice. I come by bus.
- 大翔 Hirotoバスは便利でいいですね。Basu wa benri de ii desu ne.Buses are convenient, aren't they?
