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
迎えに来る
むかえにくる (mukae ni kuru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Translation Difference
When translating "come" into Japanese, you must choose carefully between 来る and 迎えに来る.
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, 迎えに来る (むかえにくる (mukae ni kuru)) maps to "to come to pick up (someone)" (Syllabus Level: N4) and represents Used when someone comes to a location with the purpose of picking up another person. The particle に indicates purpose. The related phrase 迎えに行く. 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 "迎えに来る"
友達が駅まで私を迎えに来てくれました。
My friend came to pick me up at 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.". "迎えに来る" represents "to come to pick up (someone)".