ついてくる

つ

い

て

く

る

Common wordJLPTN3

Meanings

1

kuru verb (irregular), intransitive verb

follow; come along; accompany; tag along

usually written using kana alone

Describes a person or animal physically following or accompanying someone, often with a nuance of going together voluntarily or casually.

犬いぬが後うしろから付ついてくる。
The dog follows me from behind.

買かい物ものに付ついてきてくれない？

Won't you come along with me shopping?

2

kuru verb (irregular), intransitive verb

come with; be incidental; follow as a result

usually written using kana alone

Used for abstract consequences, conditions, or things that naturally accompany something else, such as responsibilities, risks, or benefits.

成せい功こうには責せき任にんが付ついてくる。
Responsibility comes with success.
この仕し事ごとには多た少しょうのリスクが付ついてくる。
This job comes with some risk.

Written forms

付ついてくる
Standard kanji spelling; usually written in kana.
付ついて来くる
Variant with 来る in kanji; less common but still seen.

Kanji

付adhere, attach, refer to
来come, due, next

Similar words

付ついていく
付いていく means 'to follow (and go)' with a focus on the direction away from the speaker, while 付いてくる focuses on movement toward the speaker or the speaker's perspective.
伴ともなう
伴う is more formal and often used for abstract accompaniment or consequences, similar to sense 2 of 付いてくる, but 付いてくる is more colloquial and can be used for physical following as well.

Etymology

Compound of 付く (tsuku, 'to attach') in its continuative form 付いて (tsuite) + 来る (kuru, 'to come'). The literal meaning is 'to come attached', which developed into 'to follow' and 'to accompany'.