Difference between 帰りました and 帰っていきました?


To be more specific, why can I say,

> 木村{きむら}さんなら、もう帰{かえ}りましたよ。

and not,

> 木村さんなら、もう帰っていきましたよ。

Thanks in advance!




If this were part of a conversation between two employees working in the same
office/place, then it would be extremely weird to say:

> 「木村{きむら}さんなら、もう帰{かえ}っていきましたよ。」

unless Kimura commuted from the moon or someplace unusually far away.

「帰っていく」 describes the **_long_** process of (gradually) going away from a
place back to one's home or original location. The verb phrase even has a
somewhat poetic or dramatic feel to it. It almost feels as if you might not
see that person again very soon.

That is why you would sound strange to say 「木村さんなら、もう帰っていきましたよ。」 to someone
who simply wants to know if Kimura is still around. 「帰っていく」 is way too nuanced
for that purpose.

If, however, Kimura were not a regular employee and came to the office only
once a month from a distant region, then you might utter that sentence.

Otherwise, the far more natural-sounding sentence choice would be:

> 「木村さんなら、もう帰りましたよ。」

because 「帰る」 carries absolutely no connotations and therefore, it is perfect
for an everyday conversation.




If this were part of a conversation between two employees working in the same
office/place, then it would be extremely weird to say:

> 「木村{きむら}さんなら、もう帰{かえ}っていきましたよ。」

unless Kimura commuted from the moon or someplace unusually far away.

「帰っていく」 describes the **_long_** process of (gradually) going away from a
place back to one's home or original location. The verb phrase even has a
somewhat poetic or dramatic feel to it. It almost feels as if you might not
see that person again very soon.

That is why you would sound strange to say 「木村さんなら、もう帰っていきましたよ。」 to someone
who simply wants to know if Kimura is still around. 「帰っていく」 is way too nuanced
for that purpose.

If, however, Kimura were not a regular employee and came to the office only
once a month from a distant region, then you might utter that sentence.

Otherwise, the far more natural-sounding sentence choice would be:

> 「木村さんなら、もう帰りましたよ。」

because 「帰る」 carries absolutely no connotations and therefore, it is perfect
for an everyday conversation.

