て

〈動どう詞し〉て、〈動どう詞し〉to do one thing and then another, in sequence
朝あさご飯はんを食たべて、学がっ校こうへ行いった。
I ate breakfast and then went to school.
〈物もの〉で〈動どう詞し〉to do something by means of a thing
バスで学がっ校こうへ行いく。
I go to school by bus.
〈動どう詞し〉ているto be in the middle of doing something (progressive)
今いま、勉べん強きょうしている。
I'm studying right now.
〈動どう詞し〉て〈動どう詞し〉to link two verbs into one compound action, the first modifying the second
走はしって帰かえった。
I ran home.
〈動どう詞し〉てcasual request: please do (something)
ちょっと待まって。
Wait a moment, please.

Grammar

See all 6 grammar points ›

Related words

とN1sense 1
と is used for exhaustive listing ('and') or a conditional ('if/when'), while て links two clauses more loosely for a simple sequence.
からN5sense 3
から explicitly marks the stated reason for an action ('because'), while て implies causality more loosely as a natural, unstated consequence.
し sense 3
し lists parallel reasons or facts (often more than one), while て simply connects two actions or states without that enumerative nuance.

Don't confuse with

た
て is the connective form linking clauses or actions, whereas た marks past tense or completion, so learners often confuse which suffix to attach to a verb stem.
ては
て is the plain conjunctive form linking clauses or actions, while ては adds a conditional, repetitive, or emphatic nuance on top of that base form.

Written forms

てUsage70%
Basic form of the conjunctive particle. Becomes で after 五段 verbs ending in ぐ, む, ぶ, or ぬ.
でUsage30%
Voiced variant used after 五段 verbs ending in ぐ, む, ぶ, or ぬ. Also appears in some fixed expressions.
テUsage<1%

Etymology

The conjunctive particle て derives from the classical Japanese completive auxiliary つ (tsu) in its 連用形 (ren'yōkei) form て. The voiced variant で appears after certain verb classes due to historical sound changes.

て

also: で

Freq.FrequencyTop 100

Meanings

particle, conjunction

and

Plain conjunction linking two clauses or actions. Often translated as 'and' or simply by juxtaposition.

朝あさ起おきて、顔かおを洗あらった。
I got up in the morning and washed my face.

particle, conjunction

and then; then

Indicates a sequential relation: one action follows another in time.

ご飯はんを食たべて、すぐに出でかけた。
I ate and then went out right away.

particle, conjunction

because; so; since

Expresses a causal relation: the first clause is the reason for the second.

雨あめが降ふって、試し合あいが中ちゅう止しになった。
It rained, so the game was canceled.

particle, conjunction

by; through; with

Indicates the means or method by which an action is performed.

歩あるいて学がっ校こうに行いく。
I go to school on foot (by walking).

particle, conjunction

although; but; yet

Contrastive relation: the second clause is unexpected given the first.

彼かれはたくさん食たべて、太ふとらない。
He eats a lot, but he doesn't gain weight.

particle

connects to auxiliary verbs (e.g., ている, ていく)

Grammatical function: attaches to the 連用形 of verbs to form progressive, perfect, directional, and other auxiliary constructions.

今いま、本ほんを読よんでいる。
I am reading a book now.

particle

forms compound verbs (e.g., やって来る)

Links two verbs into a compound, where the first verb in て-form modifies the second.

彼かれが走はしって来きた。
He came running.

particle

please (do)

colloquial

Colloquial sentence-final use indicating a request or light imperative. Often used in casual speech.

ちょっと待まって。
Wait a moment, please.

Usage patterns

〈動どう詞し〉て、〈動どう詞し〉to do one thing and then another, in sequence
朝あさご飯はんを食たべて、学がっ校こうへ行いった。
I ate breakfast and then went to school.
〈物もの〉で〈動どう詞し〉to do something by means of a thing
バスで学がっ校こうへ行いく。
I go to school by bus.
〈動どう詞し〉ているto be in the middle of doing something (progressive)
今いま、勉べん強きょうしている。
I'm studying right now.
〈動どう詞し〉て〈動どう詞し〉to link two verbs into one compound action, the first modifying the second
走はしって帰かえった。
I ran home.
〈動どう詞し〉てcasual request: please do (something)
ちょっと待まって。
Wait a moment, please.

Grammar

See all 6 grammar points ›

Related words

とN1sense 1
と is used for exhaustive listing ('and') or a conditional ('if/when'), while て links two clauses more loosely for a simple sequence.
からN5sense 3
から explicitly marks the stated reason for an action ('because'), while て implies causality more loosely as a natural, unstated consequence.
し sense 3
し lists parallel reasons or facts (often more than one), while て simply connects two actions or states without that enumerative nuance.

Don't confuse with

た
て is the connective form linking clauses or actions, whereas た marks past tense or completion, so learners often confuse which suffix to attach to a verb stem.
ては
て is the plain conjunctive form linking clauses or actions, while ては adds a conditional, repetitive, or emphatic nuance on top of that base form.

Written forms

てUsage70%
Basic form of the conjunctive particle. Becomes で after 五段 verbs ending in ぐ, む, ぶ, or ぬ.
でUsage30%
Voiced variant used after 五段 verbs ending in ぐ, む, ぶ, or ぬ. Also appears in some fixed expressions.
テUsage<1%