Japanese Culture in New York - Chopsticks NY

Japanese Lesson #14

verb 2: to go~ / to return~

Many of you plan to travel during this upcoming holiday season.  You’ll likely hear exchanges such as this: “Where are you going over Christmas?” “I’m going to the Bahamas.” In Japanese, the verb “ikimasu” (to go) is useful in this situation.

Tokyo ni ikimasu. (I’m going to Tokyo.)
Gurando Kyanion ni ikimasu. (I’m going to the Grand Canyon.)

As you can see, the structure is “name of place + ni + ikimasu.”  “Ni” is a particle introducing direction and destination, just like “o” introduces an object and ”wa” introduces a topic.  Along with “ikimasu,” you might want to learn “kaerimasu” (to return).
Tokyo ni kaerimasu. (I’m returning to Tokyo.)
Uchi ni kaerimasu. (I’m going home.)

Look at the following conversation between Mr. Suzuki and Mr. Smith:

Smith: Suzuki-san, nenmatsu, doko ni ikimasu ka. (Mr. Suzuki, where are you planning to go at the end of the year?)
Suzuki: Nihon ni kaerimasu.  Sumisu-san wa? (I’ll go back to Japan.  How about you, Mr. Smith?)
Smith: Burajiru ni ikimasu. (I’m going to Brazil.)
Suzuki: Ii desu ne.  Itsu kaerimasu ka. (That’s great.  When are you coming back?)
Smith: Gantan ni kaerimasu. (I’m coming back on New Year’s Day.)

The verb “ikimasu” means only “to go,” so if you want to emphasize that you are traveling around an area, you can put the noun “ryokou” (travel) before “shimasu” (to do) and say “ryokou shimasu.”

Watashi wa Afurika o ryokou shimasu.
(I’ll travel around Africa.)

In this case, you cannot use “ni” to introduce the destination but must instead use “o” to signify the location where you will travel.

New Words
ni: to, toward, at
uchi: home, house
nenmatsu: at the end of the year
doko: where
itsu: when
gantan: New Year’s Day
ryokou: travel, trip, journey