Coming to wake someone with 〜に来る
Grammar Explanation: Coming to for a purpose with 〜に来る
As the new butler, Hayate is tasked with waking Nagi for breakfast, but he’s quickly startled by the sight of a large white tiger sleeping alongside her. Nagi wakes and notices Hayate standing in her room.
- ナギ:
- 「あ…起こしに来てくれたのか、ありがとう…」
- “Ah... did you come to wake me up? Thanks...”
- Literal: “Ah... did you come for waking me? Thanks...”
- 「ところで何を固まっているのだ？」
- “By the way, why are you frozen stiff?”
- ハヤテ:
- 「い…いえ… その…うしろ…」
- “N-no... it's just... behind you...”
Key Points
1起こしに来てくれた means came to wake me
- 起こし is the verb stem of 起こす, followed by に to mark purpose.
- 来てくれた adds that Hayate came and did it for Nagi’s benefit.
2のか asks for confirmation
- Nagi infers Hayate’s purpose from him standing in her room.
- のか makes the question explanatory: “so, you came to wake me?”
3The gratitude belongs to くれた
- くれる frames the action as kindness toward the speaker.
- That is why ありがとう follows so naturally.
4固まっている means frozen in place
- The literal image is having gone stiff or solid, but here it describes Hayate standing there unable to react.
- 何を…のだ? presses for an explanation: “why are you…?” rather than asking what object he is freezing.
Vocabulary
来る (To come)
来る means to come or move toward the speaker or the place being discussed.
See Also
- Grammar: Coming to for a purpose with 〜に来る
- Future entry: Past tense with 〜た・〜だ
- Grammar: Receiving kindness with 〜てくれる
- Grammar: The copula だ
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