Japanese 20

て form: Basics & Conjugations

て-form has many uses but the most basic use is to connect simultaneous or sequential actions, events, or states together. For example, you can say you ran and then played tennis: 走ってテニスをした (you CAN use a comma after はしって to help with clarity but not required).

CONJUGATIONS:

Every word type (noun, verb, い-adj, and な-adj has a て-form)

For nouns & な-adjectives it is super easy: just add で (because it is the て-form of だ.)

VERBS:

1) Ichidan: Easy, drop る add て

2) Godan

会う　→　会って
立つ　→　立って
割る　→　割って
書く　→　書いて
話す　→　話して
泳ぐ　→　泳いで
死ぬ　→　死んで
遊ぶ　→　遊んで
休む　→　休んで

3) Irregular:

する → して

くる → きて

行く->行って

い-ADJECTIVES

Easy: drop い add くて. Just remember the stem form of いい is よ so it becomes よくて

て-form Important Usages #1 & #2 (Technically)

て-form “and” usage aka as a SEQUENCE OF ACTION + MEANS OF ACTION (LINKING TWO ACTIONS, STATES, OR NOUNS)

The most important (arguably) usage of the て-form is to hook or connect two actions, states, or nouns together or the English equivalent “and.”

VERBS:

1) SEQUENCE: This not only connects the two verbs and tells that two actions were done but also tells the sequence in how they were connected. Like a “I did this AND I did that.” Kinda says how busy or productive you were

Ex: 立ってトイレにいく。i stand up and go to the toilet.

*** 2) MEANS: it is not always the case that a sentence set up like that will tell sequential actions. The て-form with the exact same structure as (AてBをする) has another meaning: Do B by the means of doing A. So in the previous example, in theory it could say that he goes to the toilet by standing up. As you can see the biggest way to differentiate which one is used is CONTEXT. (Like with 走って駅に行く, this means “I go to the station BY running” and the way to differentiate that is by knowing it makes more sense that way.

Important to note, another way to differentiate is that if there’s a comma after the て form that means it’s most like sequential actions

With 走って駅にく。the relationship between these can also be interpreted as a main action (go to the station) and a sub-action, which is the means or the manner in which the main action was completed (by running).

** you can link more than two actions/action clauses together

LINKING MULTIPLE STATES:

It’s the same as with the actions but it’s not about sequence and more of the “and” meaning. You can also use nouns in here as well and they can all be mixed and matched.

• あの店は広くて静かだ。

• That restaurant is spacious and quiet.

You can also reverse the order and have the same meaning like:

• あの店は静かで広い。

• That restaurant is quiet and spacious.

And like with verbs you can link many states together:

• ここは料理の鉄人のお店で、静かで広くて人気があって、おいしい。

• This is an Iron Chef's restaurant, and it's quiet, spacious, popular and delicious.

It is common like in the example above when you want to list off multiple qualities about a noun you use the て (or I guess で in this case) form

と vs て-form for “and”:

YOU CAN ONLY USE と FORM FOR NOUNS

CONNECTING NEGATIVES:

Just like above, you can instead of connecting two positive verbs or states, you can do it with negatives too. You can in fact mix negatives and positives. So you can say that you didn’t do [action] AND didn’t do [Action] or that something isn’t [description] AND isn’t [description], but the conjugations are different and important.

FOR VERBS:

You DO NOT conjugate to the ない form and then drop い and add くて like you’d think (like 食べなくて), that is something different. What you do here to have a negative て-form of the verb is conjugate to the negative form (走らない) then you add で, that’s it. So it becomes 走らないで.

Example: 彼は朝ごはんを食べないで学校へ行った = he didn’t eat breakfast and went to school (or you could say he went to school without eating breakfast)

FOR STATES AND NOUNS

This one is conjugated how you’d expect:

い-adjectives: conjugate to the ない form drop い add くて (おいしい → おいしくない → おいしくなくて)

な-adjectives and nouns: conjugate to the ない form drop い add くて (しずか->しずかじゃない->しずかじゃなくて

Example: 彼の部屋は綺麗じゃなくて、学校へ行った。His room isn’t clean and he went to school (implying his room isn’t clean moments before he went to school)

*When using the “and” て form with a negative and a positive you can’t have too strong of contrasts/surprises or you’d have to use a different grammatical structure

て-Form Important Uses #3 (basics)

て-form can also be used as “So.” (Or “because”)

Just like how “by means of” and “and” meanings can be hard to distinguish, this is also hard to tell and needs context to know what it mean.

In this meaning, the sentence will be constructed as so:

Reason/cause→ て-form → Result/Effect

Example: 忙しくて、映画を見ませんでした

I was busy [Reason/Cause] so I didn’t see the movie [Result/Effect]

おなかがすいて、しょくじをした = my stomach was hungry so I ate

My own example:

わたしはきがおもくて、しごとをやめた

I was feeling depressed [A] so I quit my job [B]

かんじょう

1) Emotions; feelings; sentiment

彼は我々の感情に訴えた。He appealed to our emotions.

2) Bill; payment; check

お勘定をお願いします。

3) Calculation; accounting

This refers to the act or result of counting, calculating, or keeping track of money or figures.

れんちゅう

Company (not like kaishya); lot; people; bunch; guys; pack

It is used to refer to a defined group of people, but often with the feeling that the speaker views them with slight disapproval, as being troublemakers, or simply as "those guys/gals."

友達のれんちゅう my buddies

あのうるさいれんちゅう those noisy people/group

ひょうてき

Target (of something, like of jealousy, target to hunt, etc)

さんかく

1) Triangle; triangular shape

2) Participation; involvement

A formal, business, or government-oriented term referring to the act of joining or taking part in a project, plan, or political event (so suru verb would mean to participate or to get involved in. Is intransitive typically takes に)

3) So-So; ambiguous; not quite right

Something is ambiguous, marginal, acceptable but not great, or requires caution. It indicates a "maybe" or a "C-grade" area.

彼の評価は三角だ Kare no hyōka wa sankaku da. His evaluation is marginal/up for debate.

ちゅうもん

Order (for an item)

ピザを注文しない？ Why don't we order pizza?

ご注文を承りましょうか。May I take your order?

はいたつ

Delivery

日曜日に配達していただけますか。Do you deliver on sundays

この郵便は明日配達される。This mail will be delivered tomorrow.

しょり vs しょうり

しょり: Processing; handling; disposal (I like handling the best)

It refers to the physical or intellectual act of managing a problem, task, data, or waste.

Core meaning: The systematic execution of a procedure to achieve a result or solve a problem.

データしょり data processing

ゴミしょり Trash disposal

もんだいしょり handling a problem

この書類は明日までに処理しなければならない。

(Kono shorui wa ashita made ni shori shinakereba naranai.)

I have to process/handle this document by tomorrow.

しょうり: victory; triumph; win

シコシコ

Fap fap; masturbation

うらない

Fortune-telling; divination

トランプ占いをしてあげましょう。Let me tell you your fortune with cards.

ぼうそう

Acting rashly; running wildly; behaving recklessly; rampage

NOUN (suru verb)

Refers to a vehicle, a person, or a thing moving or acting out of control, recklessly, or violently.

Core Meaning: Erratic action or movement beyond acceptable limits; running amok.

ぼうそうこうい reckless act

戦闘ロボＪＡは暴走した。The battle robot JA went berserk.

せいいち

Revealing a card in its upright position (in tarot cards)

Basically what happens is that you draw a card face down. You flip it over, and how the card is oriented (like if it’s upside down to the flipper’s orientation) is the determining factor for “upright.” Upright means the card is right side up. It is based on the flippers perspective. Whether it is a good thing or bad thing depends on the card

ぎゃくいち is the opposite of this

ALSO, this can technically mean a “regular position” or “upright position” in normal contexts as well

せんこう

1) Major (college)

2) Preceding; Going ahead; going first

Doing something ahead of others, or in advance, or being the first to act. It can also refer to the leading thing like in sports or something: 先行する車に続いてください。

Senkou suru kuruma ni tsuzuite kudasai.

Please follow the car ahead (the leading car).

先行発売 (せんこうはつばい) – advance sale, pre-release

先行研究 (せんこうけんきゅう) – previous research, prior studies

先行する企業 – a leading/first-mover company

It emphasizes being before others in order or time.

3) Selection; screening; choice

Refers to the screening or judging process. It literally means “to think about and choose” so it’s a selection after considering. It DOES refer to the actual selection itself

さいようせんこう Employment screening refers to the screening and selection process from the employer’s perspective — the company or organization that is doing the hiring.

この賞の受賞者は厳正な選考で決まります。
→ The winners of this award are decided through a strict selection process.

4) Incense stick (used in home altars, Buddhist rituals, funeral offerings, etc.)

5) Battling/playing first

Means to go first in a game, match, or competition.

The team or player who takes the first turn (especially in sports or games).

この試合はAチームが先攻です。
“Team A bats first in this game.”

Also used metaphorically in debate like take the initiative

6) Flash/gleam (of light)

Like lightning or camera flash

Also figuratively, a sudden inspiration or spark of insight.

閃光が走る – a flash streaks (e.g., lightning)

7) Going underground; submerging; covert ops

Important in military, espionage, and biology contexts

The core meaning is to move while submerged (like a submarine) or to operate secretly

潜水艦が潜行を開始した。

Sensuikan ga senkō o kaishi shita.

The submarine began to submerge.

よぶ

Transitive version

1) To call out (to);

2) To summon (a doctor, police, etc.)

3) To invite (someone)

4) To garner (support, etc.); to attract (attention, etc.)

This usage describes a situation where an action or an event "calls forth" a specific reaction, reputation, or result from the public.

You almost always use it in set phrases by combining an abstract noun (like "popularity" or "criticism") with を呼ぶ (o yobu).

人気を呼ぶ (にんき を よぶ - ninki o yobu)

• Meaning: To garner popularity; to become popular; to attract a following.

• 批判を呼ぶ (ひはん を よぶ - hihan o yobu)

• Meaning: To garner (or invite) criticism.

• 議論を呼ぶ (ぎろん を よぶ - giron o yobu)

• Meaning: To garner controversy; to cause a debate; to get people arguing. Try to do something reaction.

これいじょう

More than this; any more; beyond this point

Most frequently used with a negative verb to express that something has reached its limit and cannot continue.

Usage A: Setting a Limit (Cannot Continue/Stop Now)

This is the most common use, often translating to "I can't/won't any more."

これ以上待ってない I can’t wait anymore/more than this

これいじょうしんぱいしないで please don’t worry any more(than you already are)

Usage B: Emphasizing a High Degree (Superlative)

It is used with a negative statement to create a superlative (the best/most extreme) by saying that nothing surpasses the current state. (Attach to the word, sometimes with の, that you want to target as being the best or most extreme)

これ以上のチャンスわない there is no better chance than this

これいじょうのうつくしいものはない there is nothing more beautiful than this

かこ vs かこう

かこ just means “The past” or “A bygone era

過去の失敗から学ぶべきだ。

Kono kako no shippai kara manabu beki da.

We should learn from past mistakes.

かこう:

1) Processing; manufacturing

(Suru) Commonly encountered in businesses and when discussing food or materials

• Core Meaning: The act of treating, manufacturing, editing, or refining a raw material or data.

かこしょくひん processed foods

がぞうかこう image processing/manufacturing (image editing)

この魚は工場で加工された。

Kono sakana wa kōjō de kakō sareta.

This fish was processed at a factory.

2) Descent; fall; going down

Refers to moving downward in position or value

A little more of a formal usage

気温が下降する (kion ga kakō suru): The temperature is falling/descending.

3) Estuary; river mouth

The part of the river that flows into a larger body of water like a lake or ocean

4) Volcanic crater/vent

The opening of a volcano where the ash and lava come out from

5) To surround; to close; to fence in (transitive)

子供たちを安全に囲う — to keep the children safe (metaphorical)

にわをフェンスでかこう to surround the garden with a fence

How do you express doing something to an object using a tool or method in Japanese?

Mark the object with を, mark the tool/method with で, and put the verb at the end.

Pattern: [Object] を [Instrument/Means] で [Verb]