to start; to continue; to go on (ていく) – Japanese Grammar ていく (te iku)

Q: What JLPT level is ていく?

JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences

Q: How do you use ていく in a sentence?

Attach ていく to the appropriate verb or noun form. To start; to continue; to go on

Q: Is ていく formal or casual Japanese?

ていく can be used in both casual conversation and polite speech depending on context.

ていく

N4 GRAMMAR ⏱ 0s study 📖 0 today

te iku

to start; to continue; to go on

ていた te ita 急に kyuu ni てくる te kuru らしい rashii と聞いた to kiita って tte てほしい te hoshii 出す dasu ということ to iu koto たところ ta tokoro かもしれない kamo shirenai たら tara 必要がある hitsuyou ga aru とか～とか toka~toka てやる te yaru ようだ you da ても temo それでも sore demo られる rareru てみる te miru ていた te ita 急に kyuu ni てくる te kuru らしい rashii と聞いた to kiita って tte てほしい te hoshii 出す dasu ということ to iu koto たところ ta tokoro かもしれない kamo shirenai たら tara 必要がある hitsuyou ga aru とか～とか toka~toka てやる te yaru ようだ you da ても temo それでも sore demo られる rareru てみる te miru

🃏 Flashcard

ていく

te iku

Tap to reveal usage

to start; to continue; to go on

Tap to test your recall · +10 XP

📊 Pattern Stats

JLPT Level N4

Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences

Reading te iku

Post ID 50774

Patterns today 0

0 / 10 daily goal

📝 Usage Notes

to start; to continue; to go on

📖 How to use it

Expresses an action that begins or continues, often moving away from the speaker or into the future.

Attaches to Attach to the て-form of a verb. For verbs in the て-form that end in で (from ぐ, ぬ, ぶ, む), use でいく instead of ていく.

The pattern ていく is used after the て-form of a verb to show that an action starts or continues from the present moment into the future. It often implies a sense of moving forward in time or space, away from the speaker. For example, 走っていく means 'to run off' (running away from the speaker), while 勉強していく means 'to continue studying' (into the future).

When the verb implies a change, ていく can indicate the beginning of that change and its progression. For instance, だんだん暖かくなっていく means 'it gradually becomes warmer' (starting now and continuing). This is common with verbs like なる (to become) or adjectives used with なる.

In speech, ていく is often contracted to てく in casual conversation, but this is informal. In writing or formal speech, use the full form.

これからも日本語を勉強していきます。

Kore kara mo nihongo o benkyou shite ikimasu.

I will continue studying Japanese from now on.

鳥が空を飛んでいきました。

Tori ga sora o tonde ikimashita.

The bird flew away into the sky.

少しずつ慣れていくでしょう。

Sukoshi zutsu narete iku deshou.

You will gradually get used to it.

Not てくるてくる indicates an action that comes toward the speaker or continues from the past up to the present, while ていく indicates moving away or continuing into the future. Choose based on direction (toward vs. away) or time frame (from past to now vs. now to future).

Register Neutral and common in both speech and writing; in casual speech, ていく is often shortened to てく, but the full form is appropriate for all contexts.

🎯 Quick Quiz

What does this grammar pattern mean or do?

ていく

📚 How to Master This Pattern

🔊

Say It Aloud

Press Hear it and repeat ていく three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.

🃏

Flip Before Reading

Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.

✍️

Write Two Sentences

Compose two original sentences using ていく. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.

⏰

Spaced Review

Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.

🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns

← Previous

てほしい

I want you to; need you to~

ていた

was doing something (past continuous)

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

What does the grammar pattern ていく mean? ▼

To start; to continue; to go on

What JLPT level is ていく? ▼

Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.

How do you use ていく in a sentence? ▼

Attach ていく (te iku) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.

Is ていく formal or casual Japanese? ▼

ていく is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.

How can I remember ていく long-term? ▼

Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.