lái 来 vs qù 去 – to come vs to go
Travelers and language learners quickly face the difference between lái 来 and qù 去: whether you move toward the speaker's location or away from it. This short guide shows when to use each word and gives memorable examples.
lái 来
Use lái 来 to indicate movement toward the speaker or the speaker's reference point. It often appears when someone is arriving at the scene, joining the group, or bringing something to the speaker.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕ 客人来了。 | Kèrén lái le. | The guest has come. | Coming towards speaker |
| 🏠 我去楼下，他回来上来了。 | Wǒ qù lóuxià, tā huílái shàng lái le. | I went downstairs, he came back upstairs. | Directional complements |
| 🚶♂️ 请你往这边来。 | Qǐng nǐ wǎng zhè biān lái. | Please come this way. | Polite invitation |
| 📱 他说他马上来。 | Tā shuō tā mǎshàng lái. | He said he will come soon. | Future intent |
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qù 去
Use qù 去 to indicate movement away from the speaker toward another place. It fits when someone leaves the current location, goes to an external destination, or takes something away from the speaker.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English Translation | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🥡 我去买点儿吃的。 | Wǒ qù mǎi diǎnr chī de. | I’m going to buy some food. | Going away from speaker |
| 🧺 她去了市场。 | Tā qù le shìchǎng. | She went to the market. | Simple past |
| 🗺️ 我们先去公园，然后去咖啡店。 | Wǒmen xiān qù gōngyuán, ránhòu qù kāfēi diàn. | We’ll go to the park first, then to the café. | Sequence of actions |
| 🏃 他去楼上拿钱包了。 | Tā qù lóushàng ná qiánbāo le. | He went upstairs to get his wallet. | Purpose of going |
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Key Expressions
Certain set phrases use lái 来 or qù 去 based on traditional usage and the speaker's perspective. Paying attention to common expressions helps you sound natural and makes the difference intuitive.
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 你回来了吗？ | Nǐ huílái le ma? | Did you come back? |
| 我去一下洗手间。 | Wǒ qù yíxià xǐshǒujiān. | I’m going to the restroom for a moment. |
| 请到这里来。 | Qǐng dào zhèlǐ lái. | Please come here. |
| 他去了哪里？ | Tā qùle nǎlǐ? | Where did he go? |
| 我快来了。 | Wǒ kuài lái le. | I’m coming soon. |
| 他们去了超市。 | Tāmen qùle chāoshì. | They went to the supermarket. |
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Market Vocabulary
Markets are lively places to practice lái 来 and qù 去 in context: vendors call customers to come over (lái 来), and buyers go to stalls (qù 去). Useful market words anchor the examples in real scenes.
| 汉字 | Pinyin | English |
|---|---|---|
| 来 | lái | come |
| 去 | qù | go |
| 市场 | shìchǎng | market |
| 卖 | mài | sell |
| 买 | mǎi | buy |
| 顾客 | gùkè | customer |
| 小贩 | xiǎofàn | vendor |
| 东西 | dōngxī | thing / stuff |
| Hanzi | Pinyin | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 菜摊 | cài tān | vegetable stall |
| 水果摊 | shuǐguǒ tān | fruit stall |
| 肉摊 | ròu tān | meat stall |
| 摊主 | tān zhǔ | stall owner |
| 购物袋 | gòuwù dài | shopping bag |
| 现金 | xiànjīn | cash |
| 找钱 | zhǎo qián | give change |
| 价格 | jiàgé | price |
| 新鲜 | xīnxiān | fresh |
| 排队 | páiduì | to queue |
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Summary
In short, use lái 来 for movement toward the speaker and qù 去 for movement away. Learn a few market phrases to see them in action, and practice switching the word to match the speaker's perspective.
Last updated: Tue Sep 16, 2025