Has become / do and come back 〜てくる

Meaning

Three uses: (1) a change that has occurred UP TO NOW — "has come to ~"; (2) do something and come back; (3) an action beginning/emerging now.

Formation

[verb te-form] + くる

Notes

Directional: 〜てくる looks BACKWARD (change up to now); 〜ていく looks FORWARD. Examples: 寒くなってきた ("it's gotten cold"); 買ってくる ("buy and come back"); 雨が降ってきた ("it started raining").

Examples

最近（さいきん）、日本語（にほんご）が上手（じょうず）になってきました。

Recently, my Japanese has gotten better. (change up to now)

Breakdown

さいきん最近 recently にほんご日本語 Japanese が (subject) じょうずに上手に good (adverbial) なってきました has become

ちょっとコンビニに行（い）ってきます。

I'll just pop out to the convenience store (and come back).

Breakdown

ちょっと a bit コンビニ convenience store に to いって行って go (te) きます and come back

急（きゅう）に雨（あめ）が降（ふ）ってきました。

It suddenly started raining. (emerging)

Breakdown

きゅうに急に suddenly あめ雨 rain が (subject) ふって降って fall (te) きました started

だんだん暖（あたた）かくなってきました。

It has gradually gotten warmer.

Breakdown

だんだん gradually あたたかく暖かく warm (adverbial) なってきました has become

コーヒーを買（か）ってきてください。

Please go buy coffee (and bring it back).

Breakdown

コーヒー coffee o を (object) かって買って buy (te) きて and come ください please

⚠️ Often confused with

〜ていく

Continue / change from now 〜ていく

An action or state that continues, changes, or develops FROM NOW ON into the future — "wil...