[Movement Toward / Change from Past to Present]
Connection: Verb て-form + くる
This pattern has two main meanings, both involving movement or change toward the current point.
1. Physical movement toward speaker:
Indicates doing an action while coming toward the speaker or bringing something.
- 本を持ってくる (bring a book [coming here])
- 走ってくる (come running)
- 帰ってくる (come back/return home)
2. Gradual change from past to present:
Expresses a change or development that has progressed from the past up to now.
- 暖かくなってきた (it has gotten warmer [gradual change up to now])
- 分かってきた (I've come to understand)
- 雨が降ってきた (it has started raining)
Comparison with ていく:
ていく is the opposite direction:
- てくる = toward speaker / from past to present (持ってくる = bring here; 暖かくなってきた = has gotten warmer)
- ていく = away from speaker / from present into future (持っていく = take away; 暖かくなっていく = will get warmer)
Examples:
- ちょっと買い物に行ってきます。(I'll go shopping and come back.)
- 最近、日本語が分かってきました。(Recently, I've come to understand Japanese.)
- 空が暗くなってきたね。(The sky has gotten dark, hasn't it?)