去 qù means “to go” and 來 lái来 lái means “to come.” Put another verb right after them and they tell you why someone is going or coming: “go shopping,” “come to see you,” “go eat hot pot.” In English you’d often say “go to do something,” but Chinese doesn’t need a word for “to.” Just put the two verbs side by side.
一 The Basic Pattern
Subject + 來来 / 去 + Verb (+ Object)
The first verb (來 lái来 lái or 去 qù) shows the movement, and the second verb shows the purpose.
我來来見见你
I’m coming to see you.
他去買买東西东西
He’s going shopping.
你們你们常一起一块儿去吃火鍋火锅嗎吗？
Do you often go eat hot pot together?
Subject + 來来 / 去 + Place + Verb (+ Object)
You can also add the place right after 來 lái来 lái or 去 qù, then the purpose.
你要來来台灣台湾學学中文嗎吗？
Do you want to come to Taiwan to learn Chinese?
你要不要跟我一起一块儿去泡溫泉温泉
Do you want to go to the hot springs with me?
泡溫泉 pào wēnquán泡温泉 pào wēnquán literally means “soak in a hot spring.” Taiwan is famous for them!
來来 or 去?來 lái来 lái is movement toward where the speaker is. 去 qù is movement away from the speaker. If you’re at home on the phone with a friend, you’d ask 你什麼時候來我家？你什么时候来我家？ (“When are you coming to my place?”), not 去.
二 Saying “Not”
Put the negative word before來 lái来 lái or 去 qù. Use 不 bù for the present or future, and 沒 méi没 méi for the past.
Subject + 不 / 沒没 + 來来 / 去 + Verb
明天我不去上課上课
I’m not going to class tomorrow.
我昨天沒没去打籃球篮球
I didn’t go play basketball yesterday.
三 Common Mistakes
❌ 我去超市為了为了買买牛奶
✅ 我去超市買买牛奶
English says “to buy milk,” but Chinese doesn’t need a word for “to” here. Just put the purpose right after the place.
❌ 我去看電影电影跟朋友朋友
✅ 我跟朋友朋友去看電影电影
“With someone” goes before 去 qù, not at the end of the sentence.
❌ 我昨天不去上班
✅ 我昨天沒没去上班
It’s about yesterday, so use 沒 méi没 méi, not 不 bù.
四 Practice
Tap the words below in the right order to build the sentence, then check your answer. If it’s wrong, you can try again as many times as you like, or hit “Show answer” if you get stuck. Careful: some tiles are traps and are not needed!
Question 1 of 10
“I’m going to the supermarket to buy milk.”
Tap words below to build the sentence
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我去超市買买牛奶
The 為了 wèile为了 wèile tile is a trap. No word for “to” is needed.
“My friend is coming to Taiwan to travel.”
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我朋友朋友要來来台灣台湾旅遊旅游
The speaker is in Taiwan, so the friend is coming toward them: 來 lái来 lái, not 去 qù.
“Let’s go see a movie together.”
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我們我们一起一块儿去看電影电影吧
一起 yìqǐ一块儿 yíkuàir goes before 去 qù, and 吧 ba at the end makes it a suggestion.
“He didn’t go to work today.”
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他今天沒没去上班
Starting with 今天 jīntiān is also correct.
It already happened (or didn’t), so 沒 méi没 méi. The 不 bù tile is a trap.
“Do you want to come over to my place for dinner?”
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你要不要來来我家吃飯吃饭？
Movement toward the speaker’s home, so 來 lái来 lái + place + purpose.
“Mom went to the market to buy groceries.”
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媽媽妈妈去市場市场買菜买菜了
去 qù + place + purpose. 買菜 mǎicài买菜 mǎicài is the everyday word for grocery shopping.
“I’m going to the library with my classmates to study.”
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我跟同學同学去圖書館图书馆念書学习
我去圖書館跟同學念書我去图书馆跟同学学习 is also correct.
“With my classmates” usually goes before 去 qù.
“I’m not going swimming tomorrow.”
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明天我不去游泳
我明天不去游泳 is also correct.
Tomorrow is the future, so 不 bù. The 沒 méi没 méi tile is a trap.
“Who’s coming to pick you up?”
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誰谁來来接你？
Someone is coming toward you, so 來 lái来 lái. The 去 qù tile is a trap.
