Present and future
now, habits, and what is to come
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI come back | ||
| NegativeI don’t come back |
JAPANESE VERB
かえって くる
帰って くる
to come back
- #134 most used
- くる verb
Conjugation
Tap any form to hear it. The part that changes is in colour.
Past
finished actions
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI came back | ||
| NegativeI didn’t come back |
Te-form
て形 · joining actions, “doing”, requests
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| て-formcoming back, and… | ||
| Doing now (て います)I am coming back | ||
| Please (て ください)please come back |
Potential
可能形 · “can”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI can come back | ||
| NegativeI can’t come back |
Want to
たい形 · “want to”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| AffirmativeI want to come back | ||
| NegativeI don’t want to come back |
Volitional
意向形 · “let’s”, “I’ll”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| Let’slet’s come back |
Conditional
条件形 · “if” and “when”
- If (ば) if I come back
- If, when (たら) if I come back
Commands and requests
命令形 · from gentle to blunt
- Do it (なさい) come back (do it)
- Plain command come back!
- Please don’t please don’t come back
Passive and causative
受身形・使役形 · “is done”, “make someone do”
| Form | Polite | Plain |
|---|---|---|
| PassiveI am come back | ||
| CausativeI make someone come back |
How to use かえって くる
One sentence for each tense, the way people say it.
-
Present and future
ちち は しちじ ごろ かえって くる。
Dad comes home around seven.
-
Past
ベン さん は カナダ から かえって きました。
Ben came back from Canada.
-
Te-form
はやく かえって きて ね。
Come home early, OK?
-
Potential
こんばん は なんじ に かえって こられます か？
What time can you come back tonight?
-
Want to
いつか この まち に かえって きたい。
Some day I want to come back to this town.
-
Volitional
くらく なる まえ に かえって きましょう。
Let's come back before dark.
-
Conditional
かえって きたら、 でんわ して。
When you get back, call me.
-
Commands and requests
よる おそく かえって こないで ください。
Please don't come home late at night.
-
Passive and causative
きゅう に おや に かえって こられて、 あわてた。
My parents came home suddenly, and I panicked.
Good to know
- かえって くる is coming back here, to where the speaker is; かえる is going back there.
Where you hear かえって くる
The lessons that teach a form of it, and how they say it.
Japanese · Beginner Level 3
- ゆい は まいとし おしょうがつ に かえって きます。 Yui comes home every New Year.
- まご が きのう かえって きました。 My grandson came back yesterday.
- いつか、 にほん に かえって きます。 One day, I'll come back to Japan.
Japanese · Intermediate Level 2
- おぼん に は、 ごせんぞさま が かえって くる。 At Obon, the ancestors come back.
- そうた は きんようび に かえって きた。 Sota came home on Friday.
- らいねん の おぼん も、 ここ に かえって くる。 We'll come back here next Obon too.
Verbs like this one
The same pattern, on other verbs: くる verb.