Connecting actions with 〜て・〜で
Grammar: Time and Sequence » 〜て・〜で
The て-form strings actions into a sequence (「起きて、食べて、出かけた」 “got up, ate, and went out”) and links a verb to the helper verbs that follow it.
Usage Notes
How a verb forms て depends on its last syllable.
Godan endings group into sound families:
- う・つ・る become って
- む・ぶ・ぬ become んで
- く becomes いて
- ぐ becomes いで
- す becomes して
Ichidan verbs simply add て.
Between clauses, て can mean sequence (“and then”), cause (“and so”), or means (“by doing”), with context deciding. A sentence with a て-form ending is often a soft request (「待って！」 “wait!”), with ください left unsaid.
The auxiliary patterns 〜ている, 〜てみる, 〜てしまう, 〜ておく all attach here.
Formation
- Godan う・つ・る ＋ って
- 少し待って、それから入って
- "Wait a little, and then go in."
- Godan む・ぶ・ぬ ＋ んで
- マンガを読んで、寝た
- "I read manga and went to sleep."
- Godan く ＋ いて／ぐ ＋ いで
- 名前を書いて、出してください
- "Write your name and hand it in."
- Note: The one exception is 行く, which becomes 行って.
- Godan す ＋ して
- 宿題を出して、帰った
- "I turned in the homework and went home."
- Ichidan ＋ て
- 朝ご飯を食べて、学校に行く
- "I eat breakfast and go to school."
- Negative 〜ない → 〜なくて
- 道が分からなくて、困った
- "I didn't know the way, so I was stuck."
- Note: 〜ないで is used for "without doing" and negative requests.
- する → して、来る → 来て
- 電話して、すぐ来て
- "Call me, and come right away."
- い-adjective ＋ くて
- この店は安くて、おいしい
- "This shop is cheap and delicious."
- Noun / な-adjective ＋ で
- 彼は元気で、優しい
- "He's energetic and kind."
Common Uses
A Sequence of Actions
て strings events in the order they happen, with only the last verb carrying the tense. After Cocoa suggests if she were saying at Chiya’s place rather than Chino’s, that she’s be working for Chiya’s family’s tea house, Chiya takes to the idea.
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荷物をまとめて来て puts the actions in order: gather your belongings, then come.
Linking Descriptions and States
The connecting forms join descriptions. Descriptions may add information or contrast two states. Kei and Chinatsu watch as their cousin, Makoto, chases a pheasant back and forth across the field. During a break in the chase, Makoto explains her fascination with the bird.
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届きそうで届かない places opposing descriptions of the distance together. It seems within reach, yet Makoto cannot reach it. Sacchan and her friends come across a torn piece of paper with 「あたり１００」 written on it. Thinking it may be for a 100,000 yen prize, the girls head to the shopping district to redeem it. Along the way, their friend Nonoko says she doesn’t recognize where the ticket is from, but Sacchan’s mother says it looks familiar somehow. Kotoha admits it seemed familiar to her as well, but she thought it was just her imagination until now.
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知らなくて uses the connecting negative of 知らない. Yui names the girls who do not recognize the ticket. Sacchan follows with the people who have seen it.
Cause and Effect
When the first clause explains the second, て or で reads as “and so”. A speaker can end on the connecting form and leave the result implied. The result may precede a reason that ends in て. Komura shares his history book with Mie. Since Mie forgot her glasses, she leans in as she strains to see the material written in the book.
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見えづらくて presents poor visibility as the reason Mie leans closer. She leaves that result unspoken, as she’s responding to Komura’s question. Akari, Aika, and Alice find themselves on a treasure hunt through town, as each map they follow leads them to another map. Aika remarks how Akari is in high spirits.
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みたいで is the connecting form of the noun-like みたいだ. Akari feels as though the town has enchanted her, and that impression explains why she finds the walk fun.
The Means of Doing Something
て can tell how the main action is carried out. Cocoa asks Chino where her rabbit, Tippy, is. Chino explains that Tippy is watching over the bar with her father.
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ぎゅーってして tells how Cocoa wanted to sleep: she wanted to do it while hugging Tippy tight. して connects the hug to 寝たかった. Chiya says it must be boring attending an elite school simply because they’re covering one’s tuition.
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気を遣って tells how Chiya would wear herself out: by watching her manners around the other students. The preceding だらけで also links her surroundings to that action.
Connecting to Helper Verbs
A helper verb after the て-form adds meaning such as an attempt, preparation, or an unintended result. The helper carries tense and mood for the combined predicate. Cocoa shows off the bread she made.
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作って connects making bread to みた. Cocoa uses みた to frame the action as a completed attempt. Since Cocoa will be making stew for dinner, sends her a text message on ingredients selection.
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伝えて connects telling Cocoa to おこう. Chino uses おく to place the action before the shopping trip and おこう to put the combined predicate in the volitional form.
A Bare て as a Request
Dialogue constantly clips 〜てください down to just the て-form. Takeo feels Rinko is keeping something from him, but can’t figure out what. Makoto and Ai meet with Rinko to confront her about it.
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Ai’s opening 言って is a bare request to speak. Her forceful tone supplies the command, and adding ください would make it polite. Jadeite captures the priestess Rei. Ami uses an ability to fill the area with fog, giving Usagi a chance to act.
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助けて is a direct request to rescue Rei while the fog remains. The urgent situation makes ください unnecessary.Related Grammar
Supplemental Examples
