This short guide shows when to use lái 来 "to come" and qù 去 "to go" based on the speaker's perspective and location. Examples focus on everyday situations.
Lái 来
Use lái 来 when movement is toward the speaker or the speaker's reference point, such as the current location or planned destination. It emphasizes arriving "here" relative to the speaker.
Examples
- Tā cóng nàlǐ ___ (lái/qù) zǒu; wǒmen shì zài zhèlǐ jiànmiàn. (lái/qù)
- Nǐ kěyǐ ___ (lái/qù) wǒ jiā ma? Wǒ xiǎng kàn nǐ. (lái/qù)
- Lǎoshī shuō: "Jīntiān de kè wǒmen jiāng ___ (lái/qù) yī bān biàn." (lái/qù)
Practice Fill-ins
Do you often come to my shop to buy things?
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🍵 我来拿杯茶。 | Wǒ lái ná bēi chá. | I’m coming to get a cup of tea. | |
| 🚪 客人来了。 | Kèrén lái le. | The guest has come. | |
| 🧺 我来帮你收拾。 | Wǒ lái bāng nǐ shōushi. | I’ll come to help you tidy up. | |
| 📬 邮差走近说：信我来了。 | Yóuchāi zǒujìn shuō: Xìn wǒ lái le. | The courier approached saying: The letter has come. |
Qù 去
Use qù 去 when movement is away from the speaker toward another place or when the speaker frames the action as going "there." It signals leaving the speaker's location for some other spot.
Examples
- Wǒ yào ___ (lái/qù) shìchǎng mǎi yìxiē cài. (lái/qù)
- Tāmen cóng wǒ jiā ___ (lái/qù) le, xiànzài zài lù shàng. (lái/qù)
- Jīntiān wǒ bù xiǎng ___ (lái/qù) chūqù, xiàtiān de tiānqì hěn rè. (lái/qù)
Practice Fill-ins
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏪 我去店里买点茶叶。 | Wǒ qù diàn lǐ mǎi diǎn chá yè. | I’m going to the shop to buy some tea leaves. | |
| 🚶 她去了公园散步。 | Tā qù le gōngyuán sàn bù. | She went to the park for a walk. | |
| 📬 信去了邮筒。 | Xìn qù le yóutǒng. | The letter went to the mailbox. | |
| 🧺 他们去市场买了很多水果。 | Tāmen qù shìchǎng mǎi le hěn duō shuǐguǒ. | They went to the market and bought a lot of fruit. |
Context
Whether to say lái 来 or qù 去 depends on who is speaking, where they are, and which place is treated as "here" versus "there." Changing the reference point can flip which verb feels natural.
Consider the Speaker's Perspective
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🏠 我从家里出发，你说：“我来接你。” | Wǒ cóng jiā lǐ chūfā, nǐ shuō: “Wǒ lái jiē nǐ.” | I set off from home, you say: “I’ll come pick you up.” | |
| 🗺️ 他说：“我们去那里吃茶点。” | Tā shuō: “Wǒmen qù nàlǐ chī chādiǎn.” | He said: “Let’s go there for tea snacks.” | |
| 📞 电话里：“你现在在哪里？我去找你。” | Diànhuà lǐ: “Nǐ xiànzài zài nǎlǐ? Wǒ qù zhǎo nǐ.” | On the phone: “Where are you now? I’m coming to find you.” | |
| 🙋 对面的人说：“你来了！” | Duìmiàn de rén shuō: “Nǐ lái le!” | The person opposite said: “You’ve come!” |
Short Sentences
Short dialogues show how speakers switch between lái 来 and qù 去 in calls and directions. Paying attention to location and perspective helps learners pick the intuitive choice.
Practice with Dialogues
| Hanzi Character(s) | Pinyin Word(s) | English Translation(s) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| ☕ 我来喝茶。 | Wǒ lái hē chá. | I come to drink tea. | |
| 🏃 我去拿茶壶。 | Wǒ qù ná cháhú. | I go to get the teapot. | |
| 🧑🌾 客人来了。 | Kèrén lái le. | The guest has come. | |
| 🛒 我去买茶叶。 | Wǒ qù mǎi chá yè. | I’m going to buy tea leaves. | |
| 📥 茶叶到了，我来收。 | Chá yè dào le, wǒ lái shōu. | The tea leaves arrived, I’ll come receive them. | |
| 📤 我去送茶杯。 | Wǒ qù sòng chābēi. | I’m going to deliver the teacups. |
Summary
Remember: use lái 来 for movement toward the speaker's place and qù 去 for movement away. Practice with real contexts to make the distinction instinctive.
Last updated: Fri Oct 24, 2025