Use てくる to view a change or an ongoing action as developing toward the present.
The idea
Attach くる to the verb’s て-form: 増える → 増えてくる. The polite past きました presents the development as having reached the present; it can describe a gradual change, a newly noticed onset, or an action continuing until now.
| Dictionary form | Change up to now |
|---|---|
| なる | なってきました |
| 増える | 増えてきました |
| 降る | 降ってきました |
Examples
- だんだん暖かくなってきました。It has gradually become warmer.
- 最近、この町の人が増えてきました。Recently, the number of people in this town has increased.
- 日本語が少しわかってきました。I have come to understand Japanese a little.
- 雨が降ってきました。The rain has started to fall.
- 空が暗くなってきました。The sky has grown dark.
- 三年、日本語を勉強してきました。I have studied Japanese for three years.
Read-aloud uses a synthetic Japanese voice available on your device. Voice quality and availability vary; it does not assess your pronunciation.
No Japanese device voice is available. You can still read the text and use the linked listening resources.
Watch out
てくる can also express physical movement toward the speaker, as in 走ってきました. Context determines the meaning. ていく often looks from the reference point toward the future.
Try it yourself
暖かく（なる）→ 暖かく＿＿きました。
Show answer or example answer
なって
なって — なる becomes なって before きました.
人が（増える）→ 人が＿＿きました。
Show answer or example answer
増えて
増えて — The て-form of 増える is 増えて.
雨が（降る）→ 雨が＿＿きました。
Show answer or example answer
降って
降って — The て-form of 降る is 降って; the rain has begun by now.
Practice round
Answer questions, then rebuild Japanese sentences where available. We keep your score.
暖かく（なる）→ 暖かく＿＿きました。
人が（増える）→ 人が＿＿きました。
雨が（降る）→ 雨が＿＿きました。
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Tap the words in the right order.
Keep your progress
Sign up for free to save your practice results in your account.
Sign up to saveI already have an accountUse it today
Describe a change you have noticed and something you have continued doing until now.