Japanese 着く: arriving at a destination

The idea

着つく is a godan verb. Its polite non-past is 着つきます, polite negative 着つきません, polite past 着つきました, and て form 着ついて. The non-past can express a habit or a future event, depending on context. に marks the destination and can also mark a time; までに means by a deadline. まだ～ていません says arrival has not happened yet.

Examples

• 電車でんしゃは八時はちじに駅えきに着つきます。The train arrives at the station at eight.
• 友達ともだちはもう家いえに着つきました。My friend has already arrived home.
• まだ学校がっこうに着ついていません。I have not arrived at school yet.
• 何時なんじに空港くうこうに着つきますか。What time will you arrive at the airport?
• ホテルに着ついて、母ははに電話でんわしました。I arrived at the hotel and called my mother.
• バスは九時くじまでに着つきます。The bus will arrive by nine.

Watch out

Do not add て directly to the dictionary form 着つく; the correct て form is 着ついて.

Try it yourself

1. ＿。（着つく→ます）

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   着きます

   着つきます is the polite non-past of 着つく; context determines whether it describes a habit or the future.

2. ＿。（着つく→て）

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   着いて

   着ついて is the て form of 着つく; it can link one action to a following clause.

3. 駅えき＿着つきます。（に／を）

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   に

   に is correct here. に marks the destination and can also mark a time; までに means by a deadline. まだ～ていません says arrival has not happened yet.

Use it today

Make two sentences with 着つく, one in the polite past and one negative. Check the forms and particles against the table and examples.