Synonym Boundary: "来ます", "くる", "迎えに来る", "〜てくる", "差し掛かる"

When expressing "come" in Japanese, you must carefully distinguish between "来ます", "くる", "迎えに来る", "〜てくる", "差し掛かる" based on context.

• 来ます (きます (kimasu) - Level: N5): Maps to "to come (polite form)" and is used when Polite form of 来る.
• くる (くる (kuru) - Level: N5): Maps to "to come" and is used when Used for movement towards the speaker's current location or a specific point of reference. This is an irregular verb. The polite form is 来ます.
• 迎えに来る (むかえにくる (mukae ni kuru) - Level: N4): Maps to "to come to pick up (someone)" and is used when 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.
• 〜てくる (〜てくる (te kuru) - Level: N3): Maps to "to come doing; to start doing; to become (up to now)" and is used when Indicates a change or action that progresses from the past up to the present, or an action moving towards the speaker. It suggests a process or continuation that has led to the current state..
• 差し掛かる (さしかかる (sashikakaru) - Level: N2): Maps to "to come to (a place), to approach, to be on the verge of" and is used when 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。.

Mixing these up can easily lead to unnatural translations. Refer to the bilingual context cards below to master the boundaries!