てLinking sentences
The て form
The て form is the most useful verb form in Japanese. It joins sentences together, and dozens of patterns are built on it.
Making it
It follows the same sound changes as the past
Know one past form and you know its て form: 飲んだ, 飲んで.
| Verb ending | Becomes | Example |
|---|---|---|
| う, つ, る | って | 買う → 買って, 待つ → 待って, 取る → 取って |
| む, ぶ, ぬ | んで | 飲む → 飲んで, 遊ぶ → 遊んで, 死ぬ → 死んで |
| く | いて | 書く → 書いて (exception: 行く → 行って) |
| ぐ | いで | 泳ぐ → 泳いで |
| す | して | 話す → 話して |
| Group 2 | drop る, add て | 食べる → 食べて, 見る → 見て |
| Irregular | する → して, 来る → 来て |
Try some
Pick a verb
The past form and て form always share their sound change.
writing, wrote
く becomes いて.
Describing
Adjectives and nouns have one too
This room is big and bright.
い adjectives: くて
The town is quiet and pretty.
な adjectives and nouns: で
What it means
“And” with extra meanings
I got up, washed my face and went out.
One thing after another
My older brother is a doctor, and my older sister is a singer.
Two facts side by side
I caught a cold, so I missed school.
A cause
I go to the station on foot.
How you do something
Tense
The last verb sets the time
The て form has no tense of its own. In 起きて、食べました, both happened in the past, and in 起きて、食べます, both are still to come. So you only need to get the last verb right.
Check yourself
What does the て form join here?
Your turn
Which て form is right?
I'll take some medicine and sleep.
Find the mistake
Tap the part that's wrong.
、、。
Say it yourself
Your morning
Someone asks about your morning. Describe three things you did in order, in one sentence.
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