JLPT N5Everyday

〜に行いくgo to do (something)

You go somewhere, or come, in order to do something. What you go to do comes first, with に: 見みに行いく is "go to see".

妹いもうとは友とも達だちと映えい画がを見みに行いきました。

My younger sister went to see a movie with a friend.

週しゅう末まつはよく家か族ぞくで買かい物ものに行いきます。

I often go shopping with my family on weekends.

With a verb

Verb ます-stem + に + 行いく／来くる／帰かえる

ます comes off and に goes on: 見みます → 見みに, 買かいます → 買かいに, します → しに. The verb at the end is always one of going or coming.

With an activity noun

Activity noun + に + 行いく／来くる

買かい物ものに行いく, 散さん歩ぽに行いく. To ask what for: 何なにをしに.

Going to do something

The に part never changes. The verb at the end carries the tense and everything else: 行いきたい, 行いきませんか, 来きてください.

明日あした、銀ぎん行こうへお金かねを下おろしに行いきます。

Tomorrow, I am going to the bank to withdraw money.

田た中なかさんは先せん生せいに会あいに来きました。

Tanaka came to see the teacher.

先せん生せいに belongs to 会あう. The second に is the one that says what for.

忘わすれ物ものを取とりに家いえに帰かえりました。

I went back home to get something I had forgotten.

昼ひるご飯はんを食たべに行いきませんか。

Would you like to go and have lunch?

With an activity noun

A noun that names an activity takes に directly: 買かい物もの (shopping), 散さん歩ぽ (a walk), 旅りょ行こう (a trip), 食しょく事じ (a meal).

日にち曜よう日びに子こどもたちと公こう園えんへ散さん歩ぽに行いきました。

On Sunday, I went to the park for a walk with the children.

Ones you'll hear every day

遊あそびに行いく・来くるgo out for fun; come over

今こん度ど、うちに遊あそびに来きてください。

Please come over to my place sometime.

Between adults 遊あそぶ isn't "play". It is spending time together or going out.

飲のみに行いくgo for a drink

今こん晩ばん、飲のみに行いきませんか。

Would you like to go for a drink tonight?

迎むかえに行いく・来くるgo or come to pick someone up

駅えきに友とも達だちを迎むかえに行いきます。

I am going to the station to meet a friend.

駅えきに is where. 迎むかえに is what for.

取とりに行いく・来くるgo or come to get something

荷に物もつを取とりに来きました。

I have come to pick up my package.

Where the place goes

The place takes に or へ, because it is where you go. It can stand before or after the thing you go to do.

母はははケーキを買かいに駅えき前まえの店みせへ行いきました。

My mother went to a shop near the station to buy a cake.

Not said: デパートで買かい物ものに行いきます。

(I am going shopping at the department store.)

デパートへ買かい物ものに行いきます.

It is always a real trip

English "I'm going to eat" can be a plan with no travel in it. 食たべに行いきます never is: you leave and go somewhere to eat.

今こん晩ばん、映えい画がを見みに行いきます。

I am going out to see a movie tonight.

You go to a movie theater.

今こん晩ばん、映えい画がを見みます。

I am going to watch a movie tonight.

A plan. You might not leave the sofa.

Only with going and coming

When the verb at the end is anything else, "in order to" is ために.

Not said: 日本にほん語ごを勉べん強きょうしに、本ほんを買かいました。

(I bought a book to study Japanese.)

日本にほん語ごを勉べん強きょうするために、本ほんを買かいました.

Close neighbours

にN5

After a place, に is where you end up. After a time or a person it is "at", "on" or "to".

毎まい朝あさ、駅えきに行いきます。

Every morning, I go to the station.

ためにN4

"In order to" before any verb. It is for a goal you work toward, and sounds heavy for an errand.

留りゅう学がくするために、毎まい日にち日本にほん語ごを勉べん強きょうしています。

I study Japanese every day in order to study abroad.

く・にN5

After a な-adjective, に makes it say how something is done.

ドアを静しずかに閉しめました。

I closed the door quietly.

Check yourself

1"I went to the supermarket to buy milk."

スーパーへ牛ぎゅう乳にゅうを（　　）行いきました。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this mean?

姉あねは昼ひるご飯はんを食たべに行いきました。

Choose an answer to see why.

3Which sentence sounds natural?

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

買かい物ものに or 買かい物ものしに?

With a する verb both are said, and they mean the same: 買かい物ものに行いく, 買かい物ものしに行いく.

More sentences

友とも達だちは日本にほん語ごを勉べん強きょうしに来きました。

My friend came to study Japanese.

週しゅう末まつ、近きん所じょの公こう園えんへ走はしりに行いきます。

On weekends, I go to a nearby park to run.

夏なつ休やすみに北ほっ海かい道どうへ写しゃ真しんを撮とりに行いきたいです。

I want to go to Hokkaido during summer vacation to take photographs.

何なにをしに京きょう都とへ行いきますか。

What are you going to Kyoto to do?

Compared with similar forms

Ways to say "in order to" and "so that"