Purpose of Going
This pattern says why you are going somewhere. English uses "to" or "in order to"; Japanese uses the ます stem plus に.
Place に／へ + Purpose [ます stem] + に + 行く
- 図書館に本を借りに行きます。(I'm going to the library to borrow a book.)
Take 買う → stem 買い → 買いに行く (go to buy).
Only Verbs of Motion
The final verb must be one of movement:
| Verb | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 行く | go (away from the speaker) |
| 来る | come (toward the speaker) |
| 帰る | return home |
| 出かける | go out |
- 妹が会いに来ます。(My sister is coming to meet me.)
With Nouns
Nouns that describe an activity — the ones that pair with する — attach directly:
- 買い物に行く (go shopping)
- 勉強に行く (go to study)
- 旅行に行く (go travelling)
You could say 買い物をしに行く, but the shorter form is what people use.
Two に in One Sentence
Beginners hesitate here, but it is normal:
- 公園に散歩しに行きます。
The first marks the destination, the second marks the purpose. To avoid the repetition, swap the first for へ: 公園へ散歩しに行きます。
Tense Sits on the Motion Verb
The stem never changes:
- 買いに行きました。(I went to buy it.)
- 買いに行きたいです。(I want to go and buy it.)