Since A; As A
- Since A; As A
- A, then B Used to show a sequence of events.
- A and B The て/で can be used to link several adjectives/nouns describing the same noun.
- Do B by means of A
Join for free or Login to study this and other grammar in the lesson Because [A]!
33点
弟は、オバケが怖くて、夜一人でトイレに行けません。
Since my younger brother is scared of ghosts he can't go to the bathroom alone at night.
16点
先週、腐った牛乳を飲んで、お腹を壊しました。
Since I drank sour milk last week I had a stomachache.
14点
寝坊して、遅刻してしまいました。
Unfortunately, I overslept and was late for the appointment.
11点
事故があって、道路が渋滞しています。
Because of an accident the traffic is tied up.
17点
この薬は苦くて、子供が飲みたがりません。
Since this medicine is bitter children don't like taking it.
Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
Dict. Form
Conjugated
あげる
あげて
おす
おして
かう
かって
かく
かいて
くる
きて
しぬ
しんで
Dict. Form
Conjugated
とる
とって
もつ
もって
よぶ
よんで
よむ
よんで
いそぐ
いそいで
する
して
Irregular Form(s)
行く (いく)
行って
Basic Examples:
食べなくて (Since (I'm) not eating)
Basic Examples:
忙しくて (because (she's) busy)
Basic Examples:
有名で (because (it's) famous)
Notes
The subject's intentions/volition cannot be given after this form.
Where this grammar is found
Nihongo So-Matome N4 (日本語総まとめ): 第1週 5日目
新完全マスター文法 N4: 第1部 9課
新完全マスター文法 N4: 第2部 7課
renshuu schedule packs: N5 Grammar pack
JLPT N5 / Beginner: Because [A]
新完全マスター文法 N4: 第1部 9課
新完全マスター文法 N4: 第2部 7課
renshuu schedule packs: N5 Grammar pack
JLPT N5 / Beginner: Because [A]
User notes
19点
This usage of て is kind of a more limited form of ので/から.
Don't use it for consequences that are in the past or future.
Ex:
雨が降り始めて、家に帰りました。------- Awkward
雨が降り始めたので、家に帰りました。------- Better
Use it for consequences that occur simultaneously with the reason.
Ex:
霧が深くて、道が見えません。------- The fog is thick, so I can't see the road.
Don't use it for consequences that are in the past or future.
Ex:
雨が降り始めて、家に帰りました。------- Awkward
雨が降り始めたので、家に帰りました。------- Better
Use it for consequences that occur simultaneously with the reason.
Ex:
霧が深くて、道が見えません。------- The fog is thick, so I can't see the road.
11 years ago

A, then B
Used to show a sequence of events.
- Since A; As A
- A, then B Used to show a sequence of events.
- A and B The て/で can be used to link several adjectives/nouns describing the same noun.
- Do B by means of A
2点
昨日は勉強してテレビを見ました。
I studied and watched TV yesterday.
6点
今日、ノートを買ってきて、勉強を始めた。
Today I went and bought a notebook and started to study.
7点
明日は部屋を掃除して、ゴミも捨てるよ。
I'll clean my room and take out the trash tomorrow.
Getting the sentences
Lesson
て form
You’ve been doing so well with these lessons, it’s time for something new! In this lesson, we will learn a new verb form, usually called the て form, that has a variety of uses.
Conjugation
たべる→たべて
みる→みて
ねる→ねて
いる→いて
ねる→ねて
いる→いて
くる→きて
する→して
する→して
The first thing we’ll talk about is how to make the て form. Just like with the ます forms that we talked about earlier, you will need to know if the verb you’re dealing with is an Ichidan, Godan, or one of our two irregular verbs.
The first thing we’ll talk about is how to make the て form. Just like with the ます forms that we talked about earlier, you will need to know if the verb you’re dealing with is an Ichidan, Godan, or one of our two irregular verbs.
For Ichidan verbs, creating the て form is very straightforward: you find the verb stem by removing the る, and then you will add て.
All Ichidan verbs will work in this way.
The two irregular verbs, くる and する, actually follow a similar pattern here.
Since the ます form of くる and する are きます and します, think of き and し as the verb ‘stems’.
So the て form of these two verbs are きて and して, respectively.
まつ→まって
のむ→のんで
かく→かいて
はなす→はなして
For Godan verbs, the て form conjugation depends on the last character of the dictionary verb. They will divide into four groups.
For Godan verbs, the て form conjugation depends on the last character of the dictionary verb. They will divide into four groups.
If a verb ends in う、つ、or る (for example: あう, まつ, or とる), you will drop the last character and add って.
So あう will become あって, まつ becomes まって, とる becomes とって, and so on.
If a verb ends in む、ぶ、or ぬ (for example: のむ, よぶ, or しぬ), you will drop the last character and add んで.
So のむ will become のんで, よぶ becomes よんで, しぬ becomes しんで, etc.
If a verb ends with く (or ぐ) (for example: かく, きく, or およぐ), you will drop the last character and add いて (or いで if it ended in ぐ).
So かく will become かいて, きく becomes きいて, and およぐ will become およいで.
There is one exception to this rule, and it is the verb いく - it doesn’t become いいて、 but instead it changes to いって.
Lastly, if a verb ends in す (like はなす or けす), you will drop the last character and add して.
So はなす will become はなして, and けす becomes けして.
ほん を よんで ねます。
きのう おおさか に いって ばんごはん を たべました。
Up until now, we have only used one verb in a sentence, but what if you do multiple actions? That is where the て form comes in: it links two or more verbs to describe several activities.
Up until now, we have only used one verb in a sentence, but what if you do multiple actions? That is where the て form comes in: it links two or more verbs to describe several activities.
The て form kind of acts like the English phrase “and then” here: I did this thing, and then I did that thing. We use the て form and not particle と that we already learned because と can only link two nouns.
Using this pattern of Verb 1 て Verb 2 shows us that one action was completed, and then the second. So if you are going to read a book and go to bed, you would say this.
The actions can be closely related like the above sentence, or more loosely. You could list all the things you did in one day just by using the て form! The last verb in the sentence will be conjugated like normal, and will show the tense for all of the actions.
For example, if you went to Osaka yesterday and ate dinner there, you could use this sentence.
This is just one usage for this very versatile verb form! Take a look at the next few lessons for more ways to use the て form.
This is just one usage for this very versatile verb form! Take a look at the next few lessons for more ways to use the て form.
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
Basic Examples:
起きて走る (wake up then run)
Where this grammar is found
Genki I: Chapter 6
Nihongo So-Matome N5 (日本語総まとめ): 第4週 1~2日目
Nihongo So-Matome N4 (日本語総まとめ): 第1週 5日目
新完全マスター文法 N4: 第2部 7課
renshuu schedule packs: N5 Grammar pack
JLPT N5 / Beginner: Grammar for Jumble Quizzes
Japanese Basics: ⑮ Verb forms: て
Nihongo So-Matome N5 (日本語総まとめ): 第4週 1~2日目
Nihongo So-Matome N4 (日本語総まとめ): 第1週 5日目
新完全マスター文法 N4: 第2部 7課
renshuu schedule packs: N5 Grammar pack
JLPT N5 / Beginner: Grammar for Jumble Quizzes
Japanese Basics: ⑮ Verb forms: て
User notes
A and B
The て/で can be used to link several adjectives/nouns describing the same noun.
- Since A; As A
- A, then B Used to show a sequence of events.
- A and B The て/で can be used to link several adjectives/nouns describing the same noun.
- Do B by means of A
Join for free or Login to study this and other grammar in the lesson Basic Particles III!

This ice cream is huge and looks great!
10点
あたりは夕方になると寒くて暗くなりました。
This area becomes cold and dark in the evening.
6点
彼は背が高くてたくましい。
He is tall and strong.
5点
お父さんは格好よくて賢いんだ!
Dad is cool and clever!
Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
Basic Examples:
可愛くて優しい (cute and nice)
Basic Examples:
下手で不器用 (unskillful and clumsy)
Where this grammar is found
Genki I: Chapter 7
Nihongo So-Matome N5 (日本語総まとめ): 第4週 1~2日目
新完全マスター文法 N4: 第2部 7課
renshuu schedule packs: N5 Grammar pack
JLPT N5 / Beginner: Basic Particles ③
Nihongo So-Matome N5 (日本語総まとめ): 第4週 1~2日目
新完全マスター文法 N4: 第2部 7課
renshuu schedule packs: N5 Grammar pack
JLPT N5 / Beginner: Basic Particles ③
User notes
0点
The adjective いい is special, and takes the よい form when being changed to て-form, becoming よくて.
7 years ago

Do B by means of A
- Since A; As A
- A, then B Used to show a sequence of events.
- A and B The て/で can be used to link several adjectives/nouns describing the same noun.
- Do B by means of A
There are no approved example sentences.
Getting the sentences
Construction
(Elements in parentheses are optional.)
Basic Examples:
歩いて公園に行く ((I) went to the park on foot (by walking))
User notes
Discussion about this grammar

Level: 1,
好 : 74
9点
13 years ago (Edited 13 years ago.)

Site admin
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
2点
13 years ago

Years Studied: 知らない。
Studying: 生物学。 (Biology)
Level: 1,
好 : 37
Studying: 生物学。 (Biology)
0点
9 years ago (Edited 9 years ago.)

Site admin
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
0点
9 years ago

Years Studied: Too many
Studying: Intermediate Japanese Revised (Plus anything I find)
Level: 789,
好 : 945
Studying: Intermediate Japanese Revised (Plus anything I find)
0点
8 years ago

Site admin
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
0点
8 years ago

Years Studied: since 2000
Studying: 自分のため、日本語教師だから
Level: 916,
好 : 5,000
Studying: 自分のため、日本語教師だから
0点
8 years ago

Site admin
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
0点
8 years ago

Years Studied: since 2000
Studying: 自分のため、日本語教師だから
Level: 916,
好 : 5,000
Studying: 自分のため、日本語教師だから
0点
8 years ago

Site admin
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
1点
8 years ago

Years Studied: since 2000
Studying: 自分のため、日本語教師だから
Level: 916,
好 : 5,000
Studying: 自分のため、日本語教師だから
0点
8 years ago

Years Studied: Too many
Studying: Intermediate Japanese Revised (Plus anything I find)
Level: 789,
好 : 945
Studying: Intermediate Japanese Revised (Plus anything I find)
0点
8 years ago

Site admin
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
0点
8 years ago

Years Studied: Too many
Studying: Intermediate Japanese Revised (Plus anything I find)
Level: 789,
好 : 945
Studying: Intermediate Japanese Revised (Plus anything I find)
0点
8 years ago

Site admin
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
0点
8 years ago

Years Studied: since 2000
Studying: 自分のため、日本語教師だから
Level: 916,
好 : 5,000
Studying: 自分のため、日本語教師だから
0点
8 years ago

Site admin
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
1点
8 years ago

Years Studied: 二年間
Studying: Going wherever my class takes me for now!
Level: 1,
好 : 112
Studying: Going wherever my class takes me for now!
0点
7 years ago

Site admin
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
0点
7 years ago
Level: 1,
好 : 1
0点
5 years ago

Years Studied: 13
Level: 1,
好 : 947
1点
5 years ago (Edited 5 years ago.)
Years Studied: Since Nov 2018
Studying: JLPT N3
Level: 1,
好 : 17
Studying: JLPT N3
0点
3 years ago (Edited 3 years ago.)

Site admin
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
0点
3 years ago

Years Studied: ???
Studying: JLPT N2/N1 -------- 44 Games Completed in Japanese
Level: 110,
好 : 344
Studying: JLPT N2/N1 -------- 44 Games Completed in Japanese
2点
1 year ago (Edited 1 year ago.)

Site admin
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
2点
1 year ago

Years Studied: ???
Studying: JLPT N2/N1 -------- 44 Games Completed in Japanese
Level: 110,
好 : 344
Studying: JLPT N2/N1 -------- 44 Games Completed in Japanese
0点
8 months ago

Site admin
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
1点
7 months ago

Years Studied: ???
Studying: JLPT N2/N1 -------- 44 Games Completed in Japanese
Level: 110,
好 : 344
Studying: JLPT N2/N1 -------- 44 Games Completed in Japanese
0点
7 months ago

Site admin
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
Level: 111, 好 : 6,656
1点
7 months ago