The Te-Form and Its Uses
The て-form is the single most useful conjugation in Japanese: it links actions, makes requests, describes ongoing states, asks permission, and powers dozens of everyday patterns. Learn the conjugation once, then unlock all of its uses.
18 grammar points
て Form | Japanese Te-Form Conjugation and Uses
Connecting form used for requests, linking actions, ongoing states
て-Form Linking | Chaining Actions
Do A, then B: connecting sequential actions
Linking Actions with Te-Form | ～て
Do A, then B, then C (sequential actions)
ている | Ongoing Actions and States in Japanese
Is doing ~, has done ~ (ongoing action or resulting state)
てください | Making Requests in Japanese
Please do ~, Please don't ~
てもいい | Asking Permission in Japanese
May I ~?, It's OK to ~, You must not ~
てある | Intentional Resulting State
Something has been done (on purpose), is in a state of ~
てほしい | Wanting Someone to Do ~
I want (someone) to do ~
てみる | Try Doing Something
Try doing ~ (to see what it's like)
ておく | Doing Something in Advance
Do ~ in advance, prepare by doing ~
てしまう | Completion and Regret
Finish doing ~, did ~ (unfortunately/by accident)
てよかった | I'm Glad That ~
I'm glad/relieved that ~
ないで | Without Doing, Don't Do
Without doing ~, don't do ~
てから | After Doing Something in Japanese
After doing ~
てはいけない | Prohibition in Japanese
Must not ~, may not ~
てあげる・てくれる・てもらう | Doing Things for People
Do something for someone / have someone do something
てくれてありがとう・てすみません | Thanking and Apologising for an Action
Thank you for ~ing / sorry for ~ing
てくれない・ていただけませんか | Asking for a Favour
Could you ~? Would you ~?
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