Lesson 4: Simple directional complements: verb + 来 / 去

Use 来 or 去 after a verb to show the direction of an action relative to the speaker, and where the object goes.

Hanyu textbook · Hanyu 3 · Lesson 4

上课了，快进来吧。

Shàngkè le, kuài jìnlai ba.

Class has started; come in quickly.

Explanation

The verbs “来” and “去” placed after certain verbs as complements show the direction of the action; this kind of complement is called a simple directional complement.

When the action moves toward the speaker or the thing being talked about, use “来”; when the action moves in the opposite direction, away from the speaker or the thing being talked about, use “去”.

When the object is a place word, it must go after the verb and before “来/去”. When the object is a thing, it can go either before or after “来/去”.

Structure

1
动词来 / 去
来: the action moves toward the speaker / the thing being talked about; 去: it moves away from the speaker / the thing being talked about.
- 上来吧。（说话人在上边）
  Shànglai ba. (Shuōhuàrén zài shàngbian)
  Come on up. (The speaker is upstairs)
- 上课了，快进来吧。（说话人在里边）
  Shàngkè le, kuài jìnlai ba. (Shuōhuàrén zài lǐbian)
  Class has started; come in quickly. (The speaker is inside)
- 他回家去了。（说话人在家外边）
  Tā huí jiā qù le. (Shuōhuàrén zài jiā wàibian)
  He went home. (The speaker is outside the house)
2
动词处所宾语来 / 去
A place object must go after the verb and before 来/去.
- 我到小赵家去了。
  Wǒ dào Xiǎo Zhào jiā qù le.
  I've been to Xiao Zhao's home.
- 我正好要下楼去。
  Wǒ zhènghǎo yào xià lóu qù.
  I was just about to go downstairs.
- 我们进教室去吧。
  Wǒmen jìn jiàoshì qù ba.
  Let's go into the classroom.
3
动词来/去事物宾语 · 动词事物宾语来/去
An object that is a thing can go before or after 来/去.
- 他带了一个照相机来。
  Tā dàile yí ge zhàoxiàngjī lái.
  He brought a camera with him.
- 他带来了一个照相机。
  Tā dàilai le yí ge zhàoxiàngjī.
  He brought a camera.
- 他买来了一本《英汉词典》。
  Tā mǎilai le yì běn《Yīng-Hàn Cídiǎn》.
  He bought an English–Chinese dictionary and brought it back.
- 他买了一本《英汉词典》来。
  Tā mǎile yì běn《Yīng-Hàn Cídiǎn》lái.
  He bought an English–Chinese dictionary and brought it over.
- 我给你带来了一些东西。
  Wǒ gěi nǐ dàilai le yìxiē dōngxi.
  I brought you some things.
- 我给你带了一些东西来。
  Wǒ gěi nǐ dàile yìxiē dōngxi lái.
  I brought some things over for you.

Usage notes

Determine the direction from the speaker's position: A is inside the house and says 快进屋来吧, B is outside and replies 我不进去了.
A place object always goes before 来/去: 回宿舍拿照相机去了, 进展览馆去了, 回美国去了.

Common mistakes

~~玛丽回去宿舍拿照相机了~~
玛丽回宿舍拿照相机去了
the place object goes before 去
~~他进去展览馆了~~
他进展览馆去了
~~他下星期就回去美国了~~
他下星期就回美国去了
~~要是你回来学校，就给我打电话~~
要是你回学校来，就给我打电话

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