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Come and Go in Chinese 来 lai and 去 qu

Come and Go in Chinese

Posted on May 28, 2023September 7, 2026 by tiffany

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  • 1 Structure
  • 2 Practice

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Grammar · HSK 1
Grammar Point · HSK 1

來来 lái and 去 qù

來来 lái means “come,” and 去 qù means “go” — the choice between them depends entirely on where the speaker is standing.

來/来 lái and 去 qù

The good news: this one comes down to a single question — is the action moving toward the speaker, or away from the speaker? Toward the speaker is 來来 lái. Away from the speaker is 去 qù.

1 Structure

If the action moves closer to the speaker, use 來来 lái. If the action moves away from the speaker, use 去 qù.

A speaker directing someone toward or away
你nǐ去qù台灣Táiwān 你nǐ去qù台湾Táiwān
Go to Taiwan. (the speaker is not in Taiwan)
你nǐ來lái台灣Táiwān 你nǐ来lái台湾Táiwān
Come to Taiwan. (the speaker is in Taiwan)

來来 lái + place

你nǐ週末zhōumò要yào來lái我wǒ家jiā嗎ma? 你nǐ周末zhōumò要yào来lái我wǒ家jiā吗ma?
Are you coming to my house this weekend?
李Lǐ老師lǎoshī今天jīntiān沒méi來lái學校xuéxiào 李Lǐ老师lǎoshī今天jīntiān没méi来lái学校xuéxiào
Teacher Li didn’t come to school today.
我wǒ在zài咖啡店kāfēidiàn,你nǐ要yào來lái嗎ma? 我wǒ在zài咖啡店kāfēidiàn,你nǐ要yào来lái吗ma?
I’m at the coffee shop, would you like to come?
歡迎huānyíng來lái台灣Táiwān玩wán 欢迎huānyíng来lái台湾Táiwān玩wán 😇
Welcome to visit Taiwan.
他tā來lái不bù來lái我wǒ的de生日派對shēngrì pàiduì? 他tā来lái不bù来lái我wǒ的de生日派对shēngrì pàiduì?
Is he coming to my birthday party or not?

去 qù + place

我wǒ要yào去qù中國Zhōngguó旅遊lǚyóu 我wǒ要yào去qù中国Zhōngguó旅游lǚyóu
I’m going to travel to China.
我wǒ不bú要yào去qù你們nǐmen公司gōngsī上班shàngbān 我wǒ不bú要yào去qù你们nǐmen公司gōngsī上班shàngbān
I don’t want to work at your company.
他tā為什麼wèishénme沒méi去qù醫院yīyuàn? 他tā为什么wèishénme没méi去qù医院yīyuàn?
Why didn’t he go to the hospital?
💬 FYI — Seeing a doctor in Taiwan

Many Western visitors, especially Americans, feel hesitant about seeing a doctor abroad — but medical care in Taiwan is genuinely affordable, even without insurance. An ultrasound, an X-ray, and an injection together typically run well under $100 USD. There’s also no need to book months ahead: you can usually just walk into a hospital, wait a few hours, and get everything taken care of the same day.

你nǐ去qù不bú去qù她tā的de生日派對shēngrì pàiduì? 你nǐ去qù不bú去qù她tā的de生日派对shēngrì pàiduì?
Are you going to her birthday party or not?
你nǐ要yào去qù哪裡nǎlǐ? 你nǐ要yào去qù哪里nǎlǐ?
Where are you going?

2 Practice

Translate each sentence into Chinese, then tap the card to check your answer.

01I go to the park every day with my dog.
我wǒ跟gēn我wǒ的de狗gǒu每天měitiān去qù公園gōngyuán 我wǒ跟gēn我wǒ的de狗gǒu每天měitiān去qù公园gōngyuán。
👆 Tap to reveal
02But there are no handsome guys coming to the park.
可是kěshì都dōu沒有méiyǒu帥哥shuàigē來lái公園gōngyuán 可是kěshì都dōu没有méiyǒu帅哥shuàigē来lái公园gōngyuán。
👆 Tap to reveal
03Where should I go to find handsome guys?
我wǒ應該yīnggāi去qù哪裡nǎlǐ找zhǎo帥哥shuàigē? 我wǒ应该yīnggāi去qù哪里nǎlǐ找zhǎo帅哥shuàigē?
👆 Tap to reveal
04Are you coming to the wedding tomorrow?
你nǐ明天míngtiān要yào來lái婚禮hūnlǐ嗎ma? 你nǐ明天míngtiān要yào来lái婚礼hūnlǐ吗ma?
👆 Tap to reveal
05I want to go to Japan next year.
我wǒ明年míngnián想xiǎng去qù日本Rìběn 我wǒ明年míngnián想xiǎng去qù日本Rìběn。
👆 Tap to reveal
06He didn’t come to class yesterday.
他tā昨天zuótiān沒méi來lái上課shàngkè 他tā昨天zuótiān没méi来lái上课shàngkè。
👆 Tap to reveal
07Would you like to come to my birthday party?
你nǐ要yào來lái我wǒ的de生日派對shēngrì pàiduì嗎ma? 你nǐ要yào来lái我wǒ的de生日派对shēngrì pàiduì吗ma?
👆 Tap to reveal
08She’s going to the hospital right now.
她tā現在xiànzài要yào去qù醫院yīyuàn 她tā现在xiànzài要yào去qù医院yīyuàn。
👆 Tap to reveal
09Did you come to school today?
你nǐ今天jīntiān有yǒu來lái學校xuéxiào嗎ma? 你nǐ今天jīntiān有yǒu来lái学校xuéxiào吗ma?
👆 Tap to reveal
10I don’t want to go to that restaurant.
我wǒ不bù想xiǎng去qù那nà間jiān餐廳cāntīng 我wǒ不bù想xiǎng去qù那nà家jiā餐厅cāntīng。
👆 Tap to reveal
Related grammar
→Movement marker 到 dào(HSK 1) →Expressing future with 要 yào & 會会 huì(HSK 1)

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