Synonym Nuance VS
How to say "Come" in Japanese
Both words can translate to "come", but which should you choose?
Japanese Option A
来る
くる (kuru)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Option B
差し掛かる
さしかかる (sashikakaru)
N2 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "come" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 来る and 差し掛かる.
In Japanese, 来る (くる (kuru)) is typically associated with "to come" (Syllabus Level: N5) and represents Used for movement towards the speaker's location or a specified location. Polite form is 来ます.
On the other hand, 差し掛かる (さしかかる (sashikakaru)) maps to "to come to (a place), to approach, to be on the verge of" (Syllabus Level: N2) and represents ある場所や時間、段階に近づくことや、そこに着くことを表します。物理的な場所だけでなく、時期や年齢にも使われます。. A literal translation of "come" can often sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers if mixed up!
Bilingual Context for "来る"
明日、彼が家に来ます。
He will come to my house tomorrow.
Bilingual Context for "差し掛かる"
列車はまもなく駅に差し掛かるだろう。
The train will soon approach the station.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: "明日、彼が家に来ます。" (Meaning: "He will come to my house tomorrow.")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "来る" fits here because it means "to come" in the context of: "He will come to my house tomorrow.". "差し掛かる" represents "to come to (a place), to approach, to be on the verge of".