～てくる

Today’s Question

You are making a tofu dish but forgot to buy it in the shop. You say to your teenage son:
とうふを（ ）きて。
a. かいに b. かって c. とって d. とりに

Today’s Topic: ～てくる

くる is a verb that means “to come” but it can be used as an auxiliary verb after the てform of a verb and the combination can mean:

1. to ～ and come back
2. to become ～, to get ～ (describing a gradual change)
3. to continued to ～, to have ～ (describing something a person has continued to do)

Example of the Meaning 1: to ～ and come back

とうふを買かってきて (Today’s question sentence)
Please go and get tofu (and come back immediately).

手紙てがみを出だしてきてください。
Please go and mail this letter (and come back).

てんらんかいを見みてきました。
I went to see the exhibition (and came home).

友だちに会あいに東京とうきょうに行いってきました。
I went to Tokyo to see my friend (and I am back). – Sounds like it happened quite recently.
Cf. 友だちに会あいに東京とうきょうに行いきました。
I went to Tokyo to see my friend. – Sounds like it happened ages ago or the person who went hasn’t come back.

いってきます。
I’m off now. See you later.
This is what people say to the family members staying home when they are leaving home.

Examples of the Meaning 2: to become ～, to get ～

あのドラマはおもしろくなってきました。
That drama has become exciting.

おなかがすいてきました。
I am getting hungry.
Cf. おなかがすきました/おなかがすいています。
I am hungry.

最近さいきん太ふとってきた。
I’m starting to gain weight (and I’m afraid I may continue to gain weight).
Cf. 最近さいきん太ふとった I’ve gained weight (but I don’t think I’m gaining any more).
  こんなにたくさん食たべたら太ふとる。I will get fat if I eat this much.

もうすぐ雨あめがふってくるよ。
It will start to rain soon!

事故じこの原因げんいんがわかってきました。
People are starting to understand the cause of the accident.

Examples of the Meaning 3: to continued to ～, to have ～

今いままで一生懸命いっしょうけんめい勉強べんきょうしてきました。
I have studies very hard so far.

ジョンさんは20年間にじゅうねんかん英語えいごを教おしえてきました。
John has taught English for 20 years.

息子むすこのために毎日まいにちおべんとうを作つくってきました。
I’ve kept making lunch for my son every day.

毎日まいにちブログを書かいてきました。
I’ve kept writing a blog every day.

Answer to Today’s Question: b

a. とうふをかいにきて means to “come and buy tofu,” so it is a line for a tofu vender.
b. とうふをかってきて is the correct answer.
c. とうふをとってきて means to “go and grab tofu and come home” – it sounds like you are asking your son to shoplift.
d. とうふをとりにきて means to “come and grab tofu.” This is a line for a person who is giving tofu away.

～を買かってきて（ください） is the most common way of asking somebody in the house to go and get something for you.

Another expression you may hear in a similar situation is とうふをかいにいって, which means to “go and buy tofu.” とうふをかいにいって is correct but it places more emphasis on “going,” so if you say that to a teenage son, he may not think that “bringing it home” is urgently required. If I want tofu ASAP, I will say とうふをかってきて rather than とうふをかいにいって.