How to Say “I’m Going to…” in Japanese: 〜にいきます for Beginners

To say that you are going somewhere to do something, Japanese commonly uses 〜にいきます (ni ikimasu): go to…. By the end of this lesson, you will be able to say things like “I’m going to eat,” “I’m going shopping,” and “I’m going to see a friend.”

What does it mean?

〜にいきます (ni ikimasu): go to do….

You use this pattern when travelling somewhere for a particular purpose.

For example:

たべにいきます (tabe ni ikimasu): I’m going to eat.

かいものにいきます (kaimono ni ikimasu): I’m going shopping.

ともだちにあいにいきます (tomodachi ni ai ni ikimasu): I’m going to see a friend.

The basic idea is:

[action purpose] + にいきます (ni ikimasu): go to [do something].

You can also say where you are going:

レストランにたべにいきます (resutoran ni tabe ni ikimasu): I’m going to a restaurant to eat.

Japanese often leaves out “I” when it is already clear that you are talking about yourself.

When would you use it?

Use 〜にいきます (ni ikimasu) when the reason for going somewhere is an activity.

If a friend asks where you are going before lunch, you could say:

たべにいきます (tabe ni ikimasu): I’m going to eat.

When leaving home to shop:

かいものにいきます (kaimono ni ikimasu): I’m going shopping.

If you are travelling to meet a friend:

ともだちにあいにいきます (tomodachi ni ai ni ikimasu): I’m going to see a friend.

You can use the same idea for hobbies, school, errands and travel. It is especially useful when someone asks why you are going somewhere.

Examples

Say this when you are leaving to get a meal.

Tell friends or family that you are leaving to shop.

Explain that meeting a friend is the reason you are going out.

Tell someone that you are going somewhere for coffee.

Talk about going to the cinema.

State both your destination and the reason you are going there.

Explain the purpose of a trip to a bookshop or shopping area.

Invite a friend, classmate or coworker to get something to eat.

How to make your own sentence

Start with an action you already know in its polite form:

たべます (tabemasu): eat.

のみます (nomimasu): drink.

みます (mimasu): see / watch.

かいます (kaimasu): buy.

For these examples, remove ます (masu):

たべ (tabe)
のみ (nomi)
み (mi)
かい (kai)

Then add にいきます (ni ikimasu):

たべにいきます (tabe ni ikimasu): I’m going to eat.

のみにいきます (nomi ni ikimasu): I’m going to drink.

みにいきます (mi ni ikimasu): I’m going to see / watch.

かいにいきます (kai ni ikimasu): I’m going to buy.

A reusable beginner pattern is:

[ます-form without ます] + にいきます (ni ikimasu): go to [do something].

Some activity words can also be used directly:

かいものにいきます (kaimono ni ikimasu): I’m going shopping.

Similar expressions

〜にいきます (ni ikimasu) vs 〜たいです (tai desu)

〜たいです (tai desu) expresses what you want to do.

すしをたべたいです (sushi o tabetai desu): I want to eat sushi.

〜にいきます (ni ikimasu) says you go somewhere for the purpose of doing something.

すしをたべにいきます (sushi o tabe ni ikimasu): I’m going to eat sushi.

Wanting to do something does not necessarily mean that you are going somewhere to do it.

〜にいきます (ni ikimasu) vs place + にいきます (ni ikimasu)

Compare:

スーパーにいきます (suupaa ni ikimasu): I’m going to the supermarket.

かいものにいきます (kaimono ni ikimasu): I’m going shopping.

The first tells us where you are going. The second tells us why you are going.

You can include both ideas:

スーパーにかいものにいきます (suupaa ni kaimono ni ikimasu): I’m going to the supermarket to shop.

Common mistakes

1. Keeping ます (masu) before にいきます (ni ikimasu)

Incorrect:

たべますにいきます (tabemasu ni ikimasu)

Correct:

たべにいきます (tabe ni ikimasu): I’m going to eat.

For this pattern, use the part before ます (masu).

2. Using the full simple action form

Incorrect for this pattern:

たべるにいきます (taberu ni ikimasu)

Correct:

たべにいきます (tabe ni ikimasu): I’m going to eat.

Do not simply put にいきます (ni ikimasu) after the form ending in る (ru).

3. Assuming every に (ni) means the same thing

In:

レストランにいきます (resutoran ni ikimasu): I go to the restaurant.

The first に (ni) helps show the destination.

In:

たべにいきます (tabe ni ikimasu): I go to eat.

The に (ni) helps show the purpose of going.

The English translation changes because the surrounding words are doing different jobs.

4. Confusing going to do something with wanting to do something

たべたいです (tabetai desu): I want to eat.

たべにいきます (tabe ni ikimasu): I’m going to eat.

Use the second expression only when movement or going somewhere is part of what you mean.

Practise saying it

Say these three lines aloud:

For the substitution exercise, start with:

___ にいきます。
___ ni ikimasu.
I’m going to ___.

Use:

たべ (tabe): eat.
のみ (nomi): drink.
み (mi): see / watch.
かい (kai): buy.

Then add something before the action:

コーヒーをのみにいきます (koohii o nomi ni ikimasu): I’m going to have coffee.

For a short role-play:

Now answer this personal question:

Try answering:

___ にいきます (__ ni ikimasu): I’m going to ___.

Quick quiz

1. What does たべにいきます (tabe ni ikimasu) mean?
2. How do you say “I’m going shopping”?
3. Change のみます (nomimasu): drink: into “I’m going to drink.”
4. Which expresses a desire: たべたいです (tabetai desu) or たべにいきます (tabe ni ikimasu)?
5. Is たべますにいきます (tabemasu ni ikimasu) correct?

Answers

1. たべにいきます (tabe ni ikimasu): I’m going to eat.
2. かいものにいきます (kaimono ni ikimasu): I’m going shopping.
3. のみにいきます (nomi ni ikimasu): I’m going to drink.
4. たべたいです (tabetai desu): I want to eat.
5. No. Say たべにいきます (tabe ni ikimasu): I’m going to eat.

Frequently asked questions

How do you say “I’m going to eat” in Japanese?

Use:

たべにいきます (tabe ni ikimasu): I’m going to eat.

This means that you are going somewhere for the purpose of eating.

How do you say “I’m going shopping” in Japanese?

Use:

かいものにいきます (kaimono ni ikimasu): I’m going shopping.

This is a useful everyday expression for telling someone why you are going out.

How do you say “I’m going to see a movie” in Japanese?

Use:

えいがをみにいきます (eiga o mi ni ikimasu): I’m going to see a movie.

Here, み (mi) comes from みます (mimasu): see / watch.

What is the difference between いきます and 〜にいきます?

いきます (ikimasu) simply means “go.”

がっこうにいきます (gakkou ni ikimasu): I go to school.

The purpose pattern tells someone what you are going to do:

たべにいきます (tabe ni ikimasu): I’m going to eat.

You can combine destination and purpose when both are useful.

Can I use this pattern to invite someone?

Yes. A useful invitation is:

いっしょにたべにいきませんか (issho ni tabe ni ikimasen ka): Would you like to go eat together?

This is useful for inviting friends, classmates or coworkers to a meal.

Does 〜にいきます mean the same as English “going to” for the future?

Not always.

English “I’m going to study tonight” can simply describe a future plan without physically going anywhere. The Japanese pattern in this lesson specifically involves going somewhere in order to do something.

For example:

カフェにべんきょうしにいきます (kafe ni benkyou shi ni ikimasu): I’m going to a café to study.

Do not automatically translate every English sentence containing “going to” with 〜にいきます (ni ikimasu).

Continue learning

Next, learn 〜にきます (ni kimasu): come to do something: so you can describe someone coming somewhere for a purpose as well as going somewhere.

It is also useful to build more everyday action words through the YapaneseAI vocabulary lessons. Words for eating, shopping, meeting people and hobbies combine naturally with this pattern.

For more Pre-N5 and early-N5 Japanese, continue through the YapaneseAI learning hub.