The te-form, or what native speakers call て形[te-kei], a form of a Japanese verb or other predicate that ends in て[te] or sometimes で[de]. Very broadly, this is a connecting form. Though it can have some other uses, it’s most often used for the first of two connected clauses or in the first of two connected verbs.
In this post, we’ll start by discussing how to create the te-form of verbs, adjectives, and predicate nouns. Then, we’ll talk about how to use this in different sentence structures. Ready to have a look? Let’s dive in!
As its name suggests, the te-form in Japanese will usually end in て[te], though in some cases the ending will be で[de] instead. The exact rules, though, will depend on the type of predicate: verb, adjective, or noun.
Are you already familiar with the ta-form (or past tense)? If so, there’s an easy shortcut to creating the te-form! The affirmative ta- and te-forms of verbs are almost identical: just replace the final [a] vowel at the end with an [e] and you’re good to go!
Dictionary | ta-form | te-form | English |
|---|---|---|---|
見る miru | 見た mita | 見て mite | see |
遊ぶ asobu | 遊んだ asonda | 遊んで asonde | play |
If that rule works for you, you can skip the verb section and jump straight to the adjectives, nouns, and negative forms!
Japanese verbs are categorized into three groups based on how they are conjugated: ru-verbs, u-verbs, and irregular verbs. Each group follows a slightly different rule for the te-forms.
Ru-verbs are easy! Just replace the ending る[ru] with て[te]:
Dictionary Form | Te-form | English |
|---|---|---|
見る miru | 見て mita | see |
食べる taberu | 食べて tabete | eat |
The irregular verbs have the following ta-forms. Notice they still end with て!
Dictionary Form | Te-form | English |
|---|---|---|
来る kuru | 来て kite | come |
する suru | して shite | do |
U-verbs are where it gets tricky. Here you’ll still be replacing the final syllable with a “te” ending, but the exact “te” ending you use will depend on the exact ending of the dictionary form. Check out this chart:
Dictionary Ending | Te-form Ending | Example | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Dictionary | Te-form | English | ||
う u | って tte | 言う iu | 言って itte | say |
つ tsu | 待つ matsu | 待って matte | wait | |
る ru | 走る hashiru | 走る hashiru | run | |
む mu | んで nde | 読む yomu | 読んで yonde | read |
ぶ bu | 遊ぶ asobu | 遊んで asonde | play | |
ぬ nu | 死ぬ shinu | 死んで shinde | die | |
す su | して shite | 話す hanasu | 話して hanashite | talk |
く ku | いて* ite | 書く kaku | 書いて kaite | write |
ぐ gu | いで ide | 泳ぐ oyogu | 泳いで oyoide | swim |
Wondering how you are going to memorize all these te-form formulas? Here’s a trick!
First, let’s list up all the u-verb endings and their te-forms, and then throw in the two irregular verbs and a ru-verb (any ru-verb works, but we’ll use 見る[miru](to see/look at/watch) here since it’s short). You can recite it or sing it as a song!
う つ る
u tsu ru
って
tte
むぶぬ
mu bu nu
んで
nde
す
su
して
shite
く
ku
して
ite
ぐ
gu
いで
ida
する
suru
して
shite
くる
kuru
きて
kite
みる
miru
みて
mite
Now, you can repeat it as a mantra everyday until you memorize it, or turn it into a jingle using any tune and sing it all day long. Try it; you’ll never forget it for the rest of your life!
When the predicate of a clause is an adjective (e.g. “is big”) or a noun (e.g. “is a student), you may need to use the te-form of one of these words as well. This is quite simple:
Add くて[kute] to the stem of an i-adjective.
Add で[de] to the stem of a na-adjective or noun.
Here are some examples:
Word type | Plain form* | Ta-form |
|---|---|---|
i-adjective | 明るい akarui is bright | 明るくて akarukute |
na-adjective | にぎやかだ nigiyaka da is lively | にぎやかで nigiyakade |
noun | 学生だ gakusei da is a student | 学生で gakusei de |
The te-form of the i-adjective いい[ii](good; nice) is よくて[yokute].
Each Japanese verb has two negative te-forms, both of which are formed from the plain negative form of the verb. Here are the rules for creating the two forms:
Form 1: Add で[de] to the negative form
Form 2: Replace the final い[i] of the negative form with くて[kute]
The form you should use will depend on the structure of the sentence you’re trying to form. We’ll talk a bit more about that below, but for now, let’s look at some examples!
Group | Dictionary | Plain negative | Negative te-form | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Form 1 | Form 2 | |||
ru-verb | 着る kiru wear | 着ない kinai not wear | 着ないで kinaide | 着なくて kinakute |
u-verb | 知る shiru get to know | 知らない shiranai not get to know | 知らないで shiranaide | 知らなくて shiranakute |
Irregular | くる* kuru come | こない konai not come | こないで konaide | 知らなくて shiranakute |
する suru do | しない shinai not do | しないで shinaide | しなくて shinakute | |
Other types of predicates (adjectives and nouns) only have one negative form. Here are the rules to follow:
i-adjectives: Replace the final い[i] with くなくて[ku nakute]
おいしい
oishii
is tasty
おいしくなくて
oishiku nakute
is not tasty
na-adjectives and nouns: add ではなくて[de wa nakute] after the stem.
にぎやかだ
nigiyaka da
is lively
にぎやかではなくて
nigiyaka de wa nakute
is not lively
学生だ
gakusei da
is a student
学生ではなくて
gakusei de wa nakute
is not a student
In casual speech the では[de wa] part of this ending is often pronounced じゃ[ja], so this ending can sound like: じゃなくて[ja nakute].
In general, the te-form doesn’t have polite or tensed forms: only affirmative and negative. This means that the te-form does not show the tense or formality of the sentence. That information will need to come from other predicates that are used alongside the te-form. Read on to find out how!
Though the te-form does not typically use polite forms, these forms do exist. The endings are:
〜まして[mashite] for verbs and i-adjectives
〜でして[deshite] for na-adjectives or nouns
You’ll only hear or use them in extremely polite or formal situations, and they are really only used for the “and” and “and so” uses of the te-form described below.
熱がありまして、今日は行けそうにありません。
Netsu ga arimashite, kyō wa ikesō ni arimasen.
I have a fever, and so I don’t think I can come today.
上の子は１２歳でして、下の子は４歳です。
Ue no ko wa jūni sai deshite, shita no ko wa yon sai desu.
My older child is fourteen years old, and my younger child is four.
To find out more about how to talk very politely in Japanese, check out our post on honorific expressions!
In Japanese, the te-form is often used to connect two short sentences () together to form a longer, complex sentence. It’s used in many cases where you might use “and” in English, but, as you’ll see, there is not a 100% match between the use of “and” and the use of the te-form!
In a sentence, the te-form goes in a setup clause, which supports the main clause. Here’s the basic structure:
Setup clause + て
(predicate in the te-form)
Main Clause
Here are a few of the situations where you will use this sentence construction:
For a sequence of events → “and then”
When one action explains how another was done → “by verbing”
For an action taken at the same time as another → “while”
For the cause of an outcome → “and so”
For linking parallel predicates → “and”
Let’s go through each of them to see some examples! At the end of the section, we’ll talk about how the te-form can be combined with different particles to achieve even more meanings!
You can use the te-form when something happens “and then” something else happens. In this construction, the first action or event will be in the te-form, while the second action or event will be in the main clause.
朝ごはんを食べて、学校へ行きます。
Asagohan o tabete, gakkō e ikimasu.
I eat breakfast and (then) go to school.
庭の雪がとけて、クロッカスが芽を出した。
Niwa no yuki ga tokete, kurokkasu ga me o dashita.
The snow melted in the yard and the crocuses sprouted.
Notice that you don’t need a connecting word like それから[sorekara](then). The te-form implies it!
You can only use this structure with two actions or events that actually happened, which means that both the te-form and the verb in the main clause will never be negative.
You can also use the te-form in a clause that describes how someone did something, much like you might use a phrase with “by” + verb-ing in English. In this use, both the main action and the te-form must be actions done on purpose by the same person.
父は残り野菜を使って、おいしいスープを作ってくれた。
Chichi wa nokoriyasai o tsukatte, oishii sūpu o tsukutte kureta.
My father made a delicious soup by using leftover vegetables.
今日はゆっくり歩いてうちに帰ります。
Kyō wa yukkuri aruite uchi ni kaerimasu.
I’ll walk home slowly today.
lit. I’ll go home by walking slowly today.
If the te-form is negative, you should only use the negative form that ends in 〜ないで [-naide].
✅ 作文はAIを使わないで、自分で書きましょう。
Sakubun wa eiai o tsukawanaide, jibun de kakimashō.
Write your own essay without using AI.
❌ 作文はAIを使わなくて、自分で書きましょう。
Sakubun wa eiai o tsukawanakute, jibun de kakimashō.
You can use the te-form for an action someone does while doing something else. Both the te-form and the other verb must be actions done by the same person, on purpose.
公園のベンチに座って本を読んだ。
Kōen no benchi ni suwatte hon o yonda.
I sit on the park bench and read. / I sit on the park bench while I read.
夏はエアコンをつけて寝ます。
Natsu wa eakon o tsukete nemasu.
I sleep with the air conditioner on during summer.
lit. (lit. During summer, I put on the air conditioner and sleep.)
If the te-form is negative, you should only use the negative form that ends in 〜ないで [-naide].
✅ ゆうべは電気を消さないで寝た。
Yūbe wa denki o kesanaide neta.
I went to bed last night without turning off the light.
❌ ゆうべは電気を消さなくて寝た。
Yūbe wa denki o kesanakute neta.
You can use the te-form for a circumstance that causes or results in some outcome. The te-form can be an intentional action, unintentional event, or just a circumstance. The main clause, though, will generally contain an unintentional reaction to that circumstance.
コーヒーを飲みすぎて、夜眠れなかった。
Kōhii o nomisugite, yoru nemurenakatta.
I drank too much coffee and so I couldn’t sleep at night.
友達から誕生日プレゼントをもらって、嬉しかった。
Tomodachi kara tanjōbi purezento o moratte, ureshikatta.
I was happy to receive a birthday present from a friend of mine.
lit. I received a birthday present from a friend of mine and so I was happy.
Notice that in both of the examples above, the second part of the sentence wasn’t under anyone’s control — someone just experienced something. This means the predicate of the main clause will usually be something like:
a like なる[naru](to become)
an expression that indicates the speaker’s emotional state
Because the te-form has so many different clause-linking uses, you may want to clarify that the te-form caused the main clause. To do this, you can use other expressions that indicate reasons, such as 〜から[kara] or 〜ので[node]. To find out more about these alternative expressions, check out our expressing cause and reason in Japanese!
Let’s look at some examples where the te-form is not a verb:
昨日は忙しくて、昼ごはんを食べる時間がなかった。
Kinō wa isogashikute, hirugohan o taberu jikan ga nakatta.
I was busy yesterday and (so) I didn’t have time to have lunch.
弟はまだ小学生で、難しい漢字が読めません。
Otōto wa mada shōgakusei de, muzukashii kanji ga yomemasen.
My younger brother is still an elementary school student and (so) he cannot read difficult kanji.
Notice that it’s also possible for the te-form and the main verb to have different .
近所にスーパーができて、買い物が便利になりました。
Kinjo ni sūpā ga dekite, kaimono ga benri ni narimashita.
A supermarket opened in our neighborhood, and (so) shopping has become convenient.
Remember, the main clause is an uncontrolled outcome. The te-form causes the main clause to happen automatically.
Unlike the earlier cases, the negative te-forms most often used here are the ones that end in 〜なくて[nakute]:
✅今日は寝足りなくて、２時間ぐらい昼寝した。
Kyō wa netarinakute, ni jikan gurai hirune shita.
I needed more sleep today, so I took a nap for about two hours.
❌ 日は寝足りないで、２時間ぐらい昼寝した。
Kyō wa netarinaide, ni jikan gurai hirune shita.
You can use the 〜ないで[naide] ending with this construction, but only if you’re explaining why why you, the speaker, feel or think in a certain way. The 〜なくて[nakute] form, though, will still usually sounds more natural:
🆗 バスが時間通りに来ないで、いらいらしました。
Basu ga jikandōri ni konaide, iraira shimashita.
The bus didn’t come on time, and so I grew impatient.
✅バスが時間通りに来なくて、いらいらしました。
Basu ga jikandōri ni konakute, iraira shimashita.
The bus didn’t come on time, and so I grew impatient.
In many situations, you can use the te-form like you might use the word “and” in English: to simply link two parallel elements. The first linked predicate takes the te-form.
最近引っ越したマンションは、広くてきれいです。
Saikin hikkoshita manshon wa hirokute, kirei desu.
The condo I’ve moved into lately is spacious and beautiful.
うちでは夫が料理を作って、私が後片付けをします。
Uchi de wa otto ga ryōri o tsukutte, watashi ga atokatazuke o shimasu.
In my household, my husband cooks, and I clean up after the meal.
姉は大学生で、私は高校生です。
Ane wa daigakusei de, watashi wa kōkōsei desu.
My elder sister is a college student, and I’m a high school student.
Sometimes you may want to translate this use as “but” rather than “and,” if there is a lot of contrast between the two predicates!
Importantly, though, the te-form in Japanese is only used to link or complete sentences. This means you can’t always translate “and” using the te-form! For example:
✅ Matthew is a student and (is) a baseball player.
✅ Matthew is a student and Lisa is a student.
❌ Matthew and Lisa are both students.
❌ Matthew ate beans and rice for dinner.
Go back to the Japanese examples above, and notice how, in each sentence, the te-form is used to link two predicates.
When using the negative te-form of verbs to describe parallel actions or states, we can use either 〜ないで[naide] or 〜なくて[nakute].
✅ 家業は兄が継がないで、弟が継いだ。
Kagyō wa ani ga tsuganaide, otōto ga tsuida.
As for the family business, my elder brother did not take it over, but my younger brother did.
家業は兄が 継がなくて、弟が継いだ。
Kagyō wa ani ga tsuganakute, otōto ga tsuida.
As for the family business, my elder brother did not take it over, but my younger brother did.
Certain particles can follow the te-form to create further linking meanings. Here are a couple of common examples:
Te-form + も[mo]
You can use the te-form before the particle も[mo] much like you would use the phrase “even if” in English.
雨が降っても試合はあります。
Ame ga futte mo shiai wa arimasu.
We’ll have a game even if it rains.
Check out our post on expressing contrast in Japanese to learn more about this usage!
Te-form + から[kara]
You can use the te-form before the particle から[kara] like you might use “after” in English.
食事をしてから出かけましょう。
Shokuji o shite kara dekakemashō.
Let’s go out after we have dinner.
Check out our post on expressing “before” and “after” in Japanese for more examples and other ways to say “after.”
We can also use the te-form of verbs to make various compound verbs. A compound verb is a verb made of two parts, much like you might create two-verb phrases like “is running” or “has caught” in English. In Japanese, they have two parts:
te-form
main verb
helping verb
There are several different 補助動詞[hojo dōshi](helping verbs), in Japanese. Here are the main ones:
いる
iru
ある
aru
くる
kuru
いく
iku
みる
miru
おく
oku
しまう
shimau
くれる
kureru
Though these are all verbs that can be used independently, when they’re used as helping verbs, their independent meanings become less important. They are there to support the main verb in its te-form and slightly alter how that is interpreted.
It’s a lot like how the English verb “have” can be used to talk about possession, but in the phrase “had bought” it’s really just there to add a layer of meaning to the main verb “buy.”
Luckily, helping verbs just like the independent versions, so there are no special rules to learn there! They are commonly written in hiragana.
Different helping verbs impact the meaning of the main verb (te-form) differently. Here, we’ll just briefly introduce each compound verb structure, but we will direct you towards some of our other articles where you can learn more about each one!
いる[iru]
The te-form is used before いる to create something called the te-iru form. This form has various meanings, but one of its most classic uses is to indicate that the action continues for some time.
今日はずっと雨が降っています。
Kyō wa zutto ame ga futte imasu.
It has been raining constantly today.
くる[kuru] or いく[iku]
The the te-form is used before くる[kuru] or いく[iku] to express change or movement in a certain direction.
今日はずっと雨がなってきましたね。
Konogoro samuku natte kimashita ne.
It has been getting colder lately, isn’t it?
みる[miru]
The te-form used before みる[miru] to express that someone tried something out, to see what it was like. Be careful, though! This isn’t used to mean “attempt to…,” only for cases where you’re sampling something.
弟が作った料理を 一口食べてみた。
Otōto ga tsukutta ryōri o hitokuchi tabete mita.
I tried (eating) a bite of the dish my younger brother made.
くれる[kureru], あげる[ageru], and もらう[morau]
We use the te-form before くれる[kureru], あげる[ageru], or もらう[morau] in cases where someone does a favor or receives a favor. The different helping verbs carry slightly different implications.
友達がラーメンをおごってくれた。
Tomodachi ga rāmen o ogotte kureta.
My friend (did me a favor and) treated me to ramen.
ください[kudasai]
The te-form is used before ください[kudasai] when you’re making a request that someone do something.
あっ、ちょっと待ってください。
A, chotto matte kudasai.
Oh, please wait a second.
When you’re asking someone not to do something, make sure to use the 〜ないで ending for the te-form, as below!
この部屋には入らないでください。
Kono heya ni wa hairanaide kudasai.
Please do not enter this room.
The te-form can also be combined with a few “helping” expressions that are not verbs. Here are a few examples of helping expreessions that are used with te-forms.
ほしい[hoshii]
We use a te-form before the adjective ほしい[hoshii] when expressing a desire you have for someone else. For example:
子供たちにはのびのび育ってほしい。
Kodomotachi ni wa nobinobi sodatte hoshii.
I want my children to grow up carefree.
もいい[mo ii]
Use the expression もいい[mo ii] after the te-form to express that someone “may” or “can” do something.
おやつを食べてもいいけど。
Oyatsu o tabete mo ii kedo.
You can eat some snacks.
はいけない[wa ikenai]
We use the expression はいけない[wa ikenai] after the te-form to prohibit someone from doing something.
おやつを食べてもいいけど、食べすぎてはいけないよ。
Oyatsu o tabete mo ii kedo, tabesugite wa ikenai yo.
You can eat some snacks, but you must not eat too much.
In this post, we discussed how to form and use the te-form in Japanese. The charts below summarize the most important points:
Te-form endings | ||
|---|---|---|
Word Type | Affirmative te-form | Negative te-form |
ru-verb | 〜て |
|
u-verb | various | |
i-adjective | 〜くて | 〜くなくて |
na adjective | 〜で | 〜ではなくて |
noun | ||
Main uses of the te-form | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
English | Functions | Two subjects allowed? | Negative te-form | Polite te-forms? |
X, then Y | Sequence of events | Yes | ❌ | ❓ |
Y by X-ing | Method or manner | No | 〜ないで only | ❌ |
Y while X | Attendant circumstances | No | 〜ないで only | ❌ |
X, and so Y | Cause or reason for event | Yes | 〜なくて preferred | ✅ |
X and Y | Parallel actions or states | Yes |
| ✅ |
Remember that the te-form is also used in compound verbs, which can have a wide range of meanings and functions!
Now, practice what you read using our Japanese te-form activities! Happy learning!
