01
herkommen
to come here
To move from another place to the speaker's location or to a specified destination.
example
Kannst du bitte mal kurz herkommen? Ich brauche deine Hilfe.
Can you come here for a moment, please? I need your help.
herkommen
to come here / come from
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Meanings
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Usage tips
Separable verb
'Herkommen' (to come here) is a separable verb with the prefix 'her-'. In a main clause, the prefix goes at the end. In subordinate clauses and in the infinitive with 'zu' (to), the verb stays together.
EXAMPLE
Komm sofort her!
Come here immediately!
Question with 'Woher'
When asking about origin or where something comes from, German always uses the question word 'Woher?' (Where from?). This applies both to places and families as well as to the cause of something.
EXAMPLE
Woher kommst du ursprünglich?
Where are you originally from?
Typical use
In the meaning 'to move over here,' 'herkommen' (to come here) is very often used in the imperative to ask someone to come to the speaker. It is often combined with 'mal' to make the request friendlier.
EXAMPLE
Komm mal bitte kurz her, ich möchte dir etwas zeigen.
Please come here for a moment; I want to show you something.
Compare with
herkommen vs kommen
to come
'kommen' and 'herkommen' can both describe movement to a place or a person's origin. 'kommen' is more general and can involve many directions, depending on the situation. 'herkommen' puts stronger emphasis on the direction toward the speaker or toward a named place. For origin, 'herkommen' is especially natural in questions like 'Wo kommst du her?' (Where are you from?) or 'Woher kommt ihr?' (Where are you from?). Learners may confuse the words because both often appear with 'von' or 'aus'. Memory tip: 'herkommen' often shows the direction or origin more strongly, while 'kommen' remains more general.
herkommen
Woher kommt ihr, wenn ihr so früh schon hier seid?
Where are you coming from, if you're already here this early?
kommen
Vor dem Termin komme ich noch kurz im Büro vorbei.
Before the appointment, I'll briefly stop by the office.
In real life
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