JLPT N5 Grammar: 〜に行きます / 来ます / 帰ります — “Go / Come / Return to Do”

JLPT N5 Grammar: 〜に行きます / 来ます / 帰ります

Q: Can I use nouns before に for purpose?

Yes. Nouns that describe activities — like 買い物 (shopping), 散歩 (walk), 旅行 (travel) — can be used directly: 買い物に行きます = I go shopping.

Purpose of movement — “go / come / return to do something”

JLPTジェイエルピーティー N5エヌゴ文法ぶんぽう目的もくてきの「に」(行いきます・来きます・帰かえります)

⏱️ Study time: 5–7 minutes

Use the pattern Verb stem + に + movement verb to express the purpose of going, coming, or returning. に links the action you're going to do with the movement — like saying "I go to eat sushi" or "I came to see you".

🚀 JLPT N5 Warm-up Quiz

Q: How do you say “I go to the library to study”?

Answer: A (図書館に勉強に行きます). Verb stem + に + 行いきます expresses purpose. B is ungrammatical. C uses へ (direction) but lacks the purpose structure.

Quick Summary

Grammar Point
Verb stem + に

Meaning
Go / come / return to do ~

Pattern
Place + へ/に + Verb stem + に + 行きます/来ます/帰ります

Example
図書館としょかんへ勉強べんきょうに行いきます。としょかんへべんきょうにいきます。Toshokan e benkyō ni ikimasu.
I go to the library to study.

📝 Core Pattern

Purpose of going: Place + へ/に + Verb stem + に + 行いきます

Purpose of coming: Place + へ/に + Verb stem + に + 来きます

Purpose of returning: Place + へ/に + Verb stem + に + 帰かえります

⚠️ The verb before に must be in its stem form (the same form used for ます). Nouns can also be used: 買かい物ものに行いきます = I go shopping.

🧠 Review verb stems? See ます (masu) →

💡 Toggle furigana, hiragana, or romaji for easier reading.

What is the purpose に?

The particle に can mark the purpose of movement. When placed after a verb stem (or a noun), it tells you the reason someone is going, coming, or returning somewhere — "in order to do ~".

Verb stem + に + movement verb: 食たべに行いきます = I go to eat.
Noun + に + movement verb: 買かい物ものに行いきます = I go shopping.
The place can be marked by へ or に before the purpose.

日本にほんへ留学りゅうがくに来きました。にほんへりゅうがくにきました。Nihon e ryūgaku ni kimashita.
I came to Japan to study abroad.

⚡ How to Form Purpose‑of‑Movement Sentences

Verb	Stem	Purpose + Movement	Meaning
食たべる	食たべ	食たべに行いきます	go to eat
見みる	見み	見みに来きます	come to see
勉強べんきょうする	勉強べんきょうし	勉強べんきょうしに帰かえります	return to study
遊あそぶ	遊あそび	遊あそびに行いきます	go to play / hang out

⚠️ JLPT Trap: The purpose に must follow a verb stem or a noun, never the dictionary form. 食たべるに行いきます ✕ → 食たべに行いきます ✓.

Examples & Mini Dialogue

公園こうえんへ散歩さんぽに行いきます。こうえんへさんぽにいきます。Kōen e sanpo ni ikimasu.
I go to the park to take a walk.

✅ Noun + に + movement — very common pattern.

日本にほんへ日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうしに来きました。にほんへにほんごをべんきょうしにきました。Nihon e Nihongo o benkyō shi ni kimashita.
I came to Japan to study Japanese.

🗣️ Mini Dialogue
A: 週末しゅうまつに何なにをしますか。しゅうまつになにをしますか。Shūmatsu ni nani o shimasu ka.
B: 海うみへ泳およぎに行いきます。うみへおよぎにいきます。Umi e oyogi ni ikimasu.

⚡ に行きます vs に来ます vs に帰ります

Pattern	Meaning	Example
〜に行いきます	Go to do ~ (movement away from speaker)	食たべに行いきます。 I go to eat.
〜に来きます	Come to do ~ (movement towards speaker / current location)	遊あそびに来きてください。 Please come to play.
〜に帰かえります	Return to do ~ (movement back to base)	寝ねに帰かえります。 I return to sleep.

Common Mistakes (and Fixes)

✕ 食たべるに行いきます (dictionary form before に).

✓ 食たべに行いきます (use the verb stem, not dictionary form).

✕ 図書館としょかんに勉強べんきょうします (missing the movement verb).

✓ 図書館としょかんに勉強べんきょうしに行いきます (include both purpose and movement).

✕ 図書館としょかんへ勉強べんきょうに (incomplete — no verb).

✓ 図書館としょかんへ勉強べんきょうに行いきます (complete the sentence with a movement verb).

JLPT N5 Practice Questions

Score: 0 / 3

1. “I go to the park to play.” Choose the correct purpose form.

2. “I came to Japan to study.” — which is correct?

3. What form of the verb comes before the purpose に?

🎯 JLPT N5 tip: The purpose に pattern is tested in both grammar and listening. If you hear a verb stem + に + 行いきます/来きます/帰かえります, the speaker is stating a purpose. Remember: stem + に, never dictionary form + に.

Test yourself with a free mock exam →

About the Instructor

Taught by Anup Sensei at Gogaku Language & Training Center in Pokhara. With real Japan experience and a focus on exam essentials, he helps students pass the JLPT with confidence.

⚡ Vocabulary Used in This Lesson

Japanese	Reading	Type	English Meaning
行いく	いく	Godan verb	to go
来くる	くる	Irregular verb	to come
帰かえる	かえる	Godan verb	to return, go home
勉強べんきょうする	べんきょうする	Irregular verb	to study
食たべる	たべる	Ichidan verb	to eat
遊あそぶ	あそぶ	Godan verb	to play

Related Grammar

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use nouns before に for purpose?

Yes. Nouns that describe activities — like 買かい物もの (shopping), 散歩さんぽ (walk), 旅行りょこう (travel) — can be used directly: 買かい物ものに行いきます = I go shopping.

What's the difference between the two に in 図書館としょかんに勉強べんきょうに行いきます?

The first に marks the destination (library). The second に marks the purpose (studying). Both are correct and commonly used together.

Can I use を instead of に for purpose?

No. The purpose is always marked by に. を marks the direct object, not the reason for movement.

Continue Learning

Next: に (ni) — Location & Existence.

Learn Location に →

→ Explore the JLPT N5 Grammar Hub

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