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〜て (and then)

…and (then)…, joining actions

Verb て-form, Verb

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The て-form joins actions in the order they happen: 朝起きて、顔を洗います, "I get up in the morning and wash my face".

Only the last verb shows tense and politeness; the earlier ones are all て-forms. 家に帰って、ご飯を食べました is "I went home and ate", past because of ました at the end.

It's built like the た-form, with て/で for た/だ: 食べて, 買って, 飲んで, 書いて, 泳いで, 話して, して, 来て (きて), and 行って.

The て-form is the most useful form in the language. The next several points (てください, ている, てもいい, てから…) are all built on it.

Examples

  • 朝あさ起おきて、顔かおを洗あらいます。

    I get up in the morning and wash my face.

  • 家いえに帰かえって、晩ばんご飯はんを食たべました。

    I went home and had dinner.

  • デパートに行いって、服ふくを買かいました。

    I went to the department store and bought some clothes.

  • 本ほんを読よんで、寝ねました。

    I read a book and went to sleep.

  • シャワーを浴あびて、出でかけます。

    I'll have a shower and head out.

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