Japanese You Keep Seeing: 朝よく聞く「いってきます」って誰に言っている？｜Japanese Grammar (N5–N3)

(Joy waving goodbye at a Japanese entryway saying “Ittekimasu!”, with Ken and Raya waving back, and an orange cat hiding in a shoe)

Welcome to “Japanese You Keep Seeing”!

If you have ever watched a Japanese anime or drama, you have definitely seen a character grab a piece of toast, run to the front door, and shout いってきます (Ittekimasu). In English, we usually translate this as “I’m leaving!” or “See you later!”. But wait… why do characters sometimes shout this even when they live completely alone? Who are they talking to? Let’s unlock the beautiful cultural secret behind Japan’s morning routine!

🗣 Conversation Scene

Joy, Ken, and Raya live together in a shared house. It is a bright Tuesday morning, and Joy is the first one to leave for the design studio. She puts on her shoes at the Genkan (entryway) and turns back.

Joy

Line 1: いってきます！ Line 2: Ittekimasu! Line 3: (I’m leaving!)

そろそろ仕事に行きますね。いってきます！ (I’m going to head to work now. I’m leaving!)

Ken

はい、いってらっしゃい！気をつけてね。 (Yes, see you later! Be careful.)

Raya

Have a great day, Joy! Itterasshai!

💡 Explanation: The Promise to Return

To truly understand Ittekimasu, we have to look at the literal meaning of the verbs used in the phrase.

1. What does it literally mean? 🚶‍♀️🏡

The phrase is a combination of two verbs: ✅ 行く (Iku): To go. ✅ 来る (Kuru): To come. When you say いってきます (Itte-kimasu), you are literally saying: “I am going to go, and I will come back.” It is not just a statement that you are leaving; it is a promise that you will return safely.

2. The Perfect Reply: Itterasshai 👋

When someone says “Ittekimasu,” you must reply with いってらっしゃい (Itterasshai). This is a respectful command that literally means: “Please go and come back safely.” It is a warm blessing from the people staying behind, wishing you a safe journey until you return home.

3. Why say it to an empty house? 🐱🪴

Many Japanese people who live alone still say “Ittekimasu” to an empty house. Why? Because the home is considered a safe haven. By saying it out loud, they are making a promise to the house itself, to their pets, or to their ancestors that they will return safely at the end of the day. It is a mindful ritual to set a positive boundary between the safety of the home and the busy outside world.

💎 Pro Tip: Using it at the Office

You don’t only use this phrase at home! If you are at work and need to leave the office to go to a meeting, grab lunch, or visit the convenience store, you say 「いってきます！」 to your coworkers. Because your office is your “home base” during the day, your coworkers will tell you 「いってらっしゃい！」 as you walk out the door!

🔥 Practice Quiz

Q1. What is the literal translation of “Ittekimasu”? A. I am leaving forever. B. I will go and come back.

Answer: B It combines “go” and “come,” acting as a promise that you will return home safely.

Q2. Your roommate grabs their keys and says “Ittekimasu!”. What is the correct way to reply? A. Itterasshai! B. Okaeri!

Answer: A (Itterasshai!) This means “Please go and come back safely.” (“Okaeri” is used when they finally return home!)

Q3. You are at the office, and you need to leave the building to buy coffee, but you will return soon. Should you say “Ittekimasu”? A. Yes, because you are leaving your “home base” and coming back. B. No, it is only used for actual houses.

Answer: A (Yes!) It is completely normal to say “Ittekimasu” when stepping out of the office for a short errand or meeting!

Ready to master the Ko-So-A-Do system?

Want to dive deeper? Check out our official Beginner’s Grammar Book for more examples, detailed explanations, and practice exercises to perfect your Japanese pointing skills!