JLPT N5Stories and writingAdding on

そしてand (starting a new sentence)

そして starts a new sentence with "and". It adds one more thing to what you just said: another fact, or what happened next.

another fact

この町まちは静しずかです。そして、海うみが近ちかいです。

This town is quiet, and it is close to the sea.

what happened next

雨あめがやみました。そして、雲くもの間あいだから月つきが見みえました。

The rain stopped, and then the moon appeared between the clouds.

How to form it

Sentence。そして、+ new sentence

It comes first in the new sentence, usually with a comma after it.

Another fact, or what happened next

With two facts there is no order; it is simply "and". With two events, the second follows the first, and English often says "and then".

店みせは駅えきの前まえにあります。そして、夜よる十じゅう時じまで開あいています。

The store is in front of the station, and it is open until ten at night.

春はるになりました。そして、庭にわの花はなが咲さき始はじめました。

Spring arrived, and the flowers in the garden began to bloom.

ベルが鳴なりました。そして、学がく生せいたちは席せきに着つきました。

The bell rang, and then the students took their seats.

そして is at home in stories, essays, speeches and self-introductions. In relaxed talk people use it far less. There a story moves on with それから, or with で at the start of a sentence. A story with そして at the start of every sentence reads like a child's school composition.

It isn't every "and"

English "and" joins anything. そして joins sentences. Between two nouns the everyday "and" is と, which can't start a sentence the way "And" can. Inside one sentence, actions and descriptions are joined with the て-form.

Sounds odd: コーヒーそしてケーキをください。

Coffee and cake, please.

Like a line from a speech. People say コーヒーとケーキをください.

この部屋へやは広ひろくて、とても明あかるいです。

This room is spacious and very bright.

One sentence, joined with the て-form. This is how people usually say it.

この部屋へやは広ひろいです。そして、とても明あかるいです。

This room is spacious, and it is very bright.

Two sentences. The second fact stands by itself and gets more weight.

そして or それから?

朝あさご飯はんを食たべました。そして、学がっ校こうへ行いきました。

I ate breakfast, and I went to school.

"And": the story goes on.

朝あさご飯はんを食たべました。それから、学がっ校こうへ行いきました。

I ate breakfast. Then I went to school.

"After that": one step, then the next.

With two actions in a row, both work. それから puts them in order, first one and then the other. そして only says "and", so it can also join two facts that have no order.

Close neighbours

それからN5

"After that", the next step. It is also the everyday way to add one more thing to an order or a request.

ケーキを一ひとつください。それから、コーヒーもお願ねがいします。

One slice of cake, please. Also, a coffee.

それにN4

"Besides": a second reason for the same opinion. Common in conversation.

今日きょうは疲つかれている。それに、明日あしたも早はやいから、もう帰かえるよ。

I'm tired today. Besides, I have an early start tomorrow, so I'm going home now.

またN4

"Also", "in addition": one more point of the same kind, in notices, explanations and formal writing.

この施し設せつには図と書しょ室しつがある。また、静しずかな学がく習しゅう室しつも利り用ようできる。

This facility has a library. A quiet study room is also available.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

この店みせは安やすいです。（　　）、おいしいです。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one is right?

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

姉あねは医い者しゃです。そして、兄あには教きょう師しです。

My older sister is a doctor, and my older brother is a teacher.

この公こう園えんは広ひろい。そして、駅えきからも近ちかい。

This park is spacious, and it is also close to the station.

風かぜが強つよくなりました。そして、雨あめも降ふり始はじめました。

The wind grew stronger, and then it began to rain too.

彼かれは窓まどを開あけました。そして、外そとの空くう気きを深ふかく吸すいました。

He opened the window and then took a deep breath of the outside air.

空そらが急きゅうに暗くらくなった。そして、冷つめたい風かぜが吹ふき始はじめた。

The sky suddenly grew dark, and then a cold wind began to blow.

霧きりが晴はれた。そして、遠とおくの山やまが見みえてきた。

The fog cleared, and the distant mountains came into view.

Compared with similar forms

"And", "also", "what's more": joining sentences