Linking Actions: The Te-Form (Part 1)
Linking Actions: The Te-Form (Part 1)
The te-form (て形, te-kei) is a fundamental and versatile verb form in Japanese. Think of it as the glue that holds your sentences together, allowing you to connect actions, express reasons, make requests, and so much more. This lesson introduces the te-form and its most basic function: linking actions sequentially. It's crucial to master this form as it's the gateway to many advanced grammar points.
What is the Te-Form?
The te-form is a conjugated form of a verb that always ends in either て (te) or で (de). Its primary purpose is to connect clauses, similar to using "and," "then," or "after" in English, but with a nuanced sense of sequence or cause-and-effect. It indicates that one action happens before another. The final verb in the sentence determines the tense.
Example:
- ごはんをたべて、テレビをみます。
- Gohan o tabete, terebi o mimasu.
- I eat rice, and then watch TV. / After eating rice, I watch TV.
How to Make the Te-Form
Forming the te-form depends entirely on the verb group. Let's break down the rules for each group with detailed explanations and examples:
Group 1 (Godan/Consonant-stem Verbs)
Godan verbs are identified by the fact that their dictionary form (the form ending in -u) changes before the -masu ending. They require a bit more memorization. Think of it like this: the ending of the dictionary form dictates the te-form ending.
う, つ, る → って (-tte)
- あう (to meet) → あって (atte) - meeting
- まつ (to wait) → まって (matte) - waiting
- つくる (to make) → つくって (tsukutte) - making
む, ぶ, ぬ → んで (-nde)
- よむ (to read) → よんで (yonde) - reading
- あそぶ (to play) → あそんで (asonde) - playing
- しぬ (to die) → しんで (shinde) - dying
く → いて (-ite)
かく (to write) → かいて (kaite) - writing
きく (to listen) → きいて (kiite) - listening
Exception: いく (to go) → いって (itte)
ぐ → いで (-ide)
- およぐ (to swim) → およいで (oyoide) - swimming
- ぬぐ (to take off [clothes]) → ぬいだ (nuide) - taking off
す → して (-shite)
- はなす (to speak) → はなして (hanashite) - speaking
- けす (to erase) → けして (keshite) - erasing
Important Note about Small tsu (っ): When the te-form ends in tte, you might notice a small tsu (っ). This represents a doubled consonant and creates a slight pause, similar to a glottal stop.
Group 2 (Ichidan/Vowel-stem Verbs)
Ichidan verbs are the easiest! They always end in -iru or -eru, and the te-form is formed by simply removing the -ru and adding -te.
- Remove る and add て (-te)
- たべる (to eat) → たべて (tabete) - eating
- みる (to see) → みて (mite) - seeing
- おきる (to wake up) → おきて (okite) - waking up
Group 3 (Irregular Verbs)
There are only two irregular verbs, so memorize these!
- する (to do) → して (shite)
- くる (to come) → きて (kite)
Linking Actions
Now that you know how to form the te-form, let's see how to use it to link actions. The basic structure is:
(Verb in te-form) + (Verb in plain form (present/past))
The first verb is in the te-form, and it describes the action that happens first. The second verb is in the plain form (either present or past), and it describes the action that happens after the first action. The tense of the entire sentence is determined by the tense of the last verb.
Examples:
うちにかえって、シャワーをあびます。
- Uchi ni kaette, shawaa o abimasu.
- I go home, and then take a shower.
きっさてんにいって、コーヒーをのみました。
- Kissaten ni itte, koohii o nomimashita.
- I went to a café and drank coffee.
ほんをよんで、ねました。
- Hon o yonde, nemashita.
- I read a book and then went to sleep.
あさごはんをたべて、がっこうへいきます。
- Asagohan o tabete, gakkou e ikimasu.
- I eat breakfast and go to school.
Order Matters!
The order of the verbs in the te-form sequence reflects the actual sequence of events. The first action must logically happen before the second action.
Example of Incorrect Usage (to illustrate the point):
コーヒーを飲んで、喫茶店に行きました。(Incorrect) Koohii o nonde, kissaten ni ikimashita. (I drank coffee and went to the cafe.)
If said in this manner, it implies that you drank the coffee before going to the cafe, which doesn't make much sense.
Reasoning with the te-form:
The te-form can also imply a cause-and-effect relationship, although this is subtle at this point.
- あめがふって、さむいです。
- Ame ga futte, samui desu.
- It's raining, and so it's cold. (The rain causes the coldness)
Practice
Convert the following verbs to their te-form. Remember to consider the verb group!
- のむ (to drink) → _______
- みる (to see) → _______
- かう (to buy) → _______
- する (to do) → _______
- かく (to write) → _______
- しぬ (to die) → _______
- おきる (to wake up) → _______
- いく (to go) → _______
Answers
1. のむ (to drink) → のんで (*nonde*) 2. みる (to see) → みて (*mite*) 3. かう (to buy) → かって (*katte*) 4. する (to do) → して (*shite*) 5. かく (to write) → かいて (*kaite*) 6. しぬ (to die) → しんで (*shinde*) 7. おきる (to wake up) → おきて (*okite*) 8. いく (to go) → いって (*itte*)Now, create sentences using the te-form to link the following actions. Use the past tense for the final verb.
- おきる (to wake up) + あさごはんをたべる (to eat breakfast) → _______
- ほんをよむ (to read a book) + ねる (to sleep) → _______
- えいがをみる (to watch a movie) + レストランへいく (to go to a restaurant) → _______
- かいものする (to go shopping) + うちへかえる (to return home) → _______
Answers
1. おきて、あさごはんをたべました。 (*Okite, asagohan o tabemashita.*) - I woke up and ate breakfast. 2. ほんをよんで、ねました。 (*Hon o yonde, nemashita.*) - I read a book and went to sleep. 3. えいがをみて、レストランへいきました。 (*Eiga o mite, resutoran e ikimashita.*) - I watched a movie and went to a restaurant. 4. かいものをして、うちへかえりました。 (*Kaimono o shite, uchi e kaerimashita.*) - I went shopping and returned home.More Examples & Nuances
Let's explore a wider variety of sentences using the te-form to solidify your understanding:
シャワーをあびて、かいしゃへいきます。
- Shawaa o abite, kaisha e ikimasu.
- I take a shower and go to the office.
コーヒーをかって、ともだちにあいました。
- Koohii o katte, tomodachi ni aimashita.
- I bought coffee and met my friend.
てがみをよんで、へんじをかきました。
- Tegami o yonde, henji o kakimashita.
- I read the letter and wrote a reply.
でんしゃにのって、しごとへいきます。
- Densha ni notte, shigoto e ikimasu.
- I take the train and go to work.
レストランでばんごはんをたべて、ホテルへかえります。
- Resutoran de bangohan o tabete, hoteru e kaerimasu.
- I eat dinner at a restaurant and return to the hotel.
ともだちのいえに行って、テレビを見ました。
- Tomodachi no ie ni itte, terebi o mimashita.
- I went to my friend's house and watched television.
Using the te-form with particles: Remember to include any necessary particles before the te-form verb.
- を (o): Indicates the direct object of the te-form verb.
- に (ni), へ (e): Indicates the destination of the te-form verb.
- で (de): Indicates the location where the te-form verb takes place.
Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
- Incorrect Verb Group Identification: This is the most common mistake. Double-check which verb group a verb belongs to before conjugating it. Pay close attention to the -iru/-eru verbs. Some are Group 1, not Group 2! (For example: kaeru (to return) is a Godan verb!)
- Incorrect Tense: Remember the last verb determines the tense of the entire sentence.
- Omitting Particles: Don't forget the particles! ni, o, de and others are crucial for conveying the meaning correctly.
- Incorrect Word Order: Make sure the actions are in the correct sequence. The first action MUST logically precede the second action.
More Practice!
Translate the following English sentences into Japanese, using the te-form to link the actions.
- I woke up and brushed my teeth.
- I studied Japanese and went to bed.
- I bought a souvenir and returned to the hotel.
- I ate sushi and drank sake.