Japanese Language Lesson 17 - Te form conjugation

Please view previous lessons for additional vocabulary and grammar.

Lesson 17 introduces the Te form of Japanese verbs. Miyashita-sensei will teach how to conjugate this essential form and in upcoming lessons will display the many uses for this verb form.

For this lesson, we are basing conjugation off of the -masu form of the verb.

Notes:

Regular 1 verbs:

Kaimasu／かいます - to buy
Machimasu／まちます - to wait
Kaerimasu／かえります - to return
Shinimasu／しにます - to die
Asobimasu／あそびます - to play
Nomimasu／のみます - to drink
Kikimasu／ききます - to listen
Oyogimasu／およぎます - to swim
Hanashimasu／はなします - to talk

Conjugation for regular 1 verbs -- the Te-form song:

1. i chi ri -- tte　いちり — って
e.g. Kaimasu／かいます — Katte／かって
Machimasu／まちます — Matte／まって
Kaerimasu／かえります — Kaette／かえって

2. ni bi mi -- nde　にびみ — んで
e.g. Shinimasu／しにます — Shinde／しんで
Asobimasu／あそびます — Asonde／あそんで
Nomimasu／のみます— Nonde／のんで

3. ki -- ite　き — いて
e.g. Kikimasu／ききます — Kiite／きいて

4. gi -- ide　ぎ — いで
e.g. Oyogimasu／およぎます— Oyoide／およいで

5. shi -- shite　し — して
e.g. Hanashimasu／はなします — Hanashite／はなして

Regular 2 verbs:

Tabemasu／たべます - to eat
Mimasu／みます - to see
Agemasu／あげます - to give
Akemasu／あけます - to open
Shimemasu／しめます - to close
Todokemasu／とどけます - to deliver
Tsukemasu／つけます - to switch on

Conjugation for regular 2 verbs -- change --masu to --te:

e.g. Tabemasu／たべます — Tabete／たべて
Mimasu／みます — Mite／みて
Agemasu／あげます — Agete／あげて
Akemasu／あけます — Akete／あけて
Shimemasu／しめます — Shimete／しめて
Todokemasu／とどけます — Todokete／とどけて
Tsukemasu／つけます — Tsukete／つけて

Irregular verbs:

Kimasu／きます - to come
Shimasu／します - to do

Conjugation for irregular verbs:

Kimasu／きます — Kite／きて
Shimasu／します — Shite／して

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Stay tuned for future lessons on the Te-form and more!

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[nonpareildoll]

(with this new commenting system, I have no idea how to reply to comments)

Te-form is used for various things:
(this is what I learned so far)
1. Making requests ~下さい (~kudasai)
2. Asking for permission ~もいいですか (~moiidesuka)
3. Stating that something is forbidden ~はいけません (~wa ikemasen)
4. Combining a sentence with two verbs (... and...)
5. Explaining your present action (~ing form)

[thomsontan]

Just incase anyone puzzled over the use of te-form verbs:
Te-form is used for connecting between verbs, eg to eat, drink and sleep... In Japanese would be tabete, nonde, neru....(note that they do not have a translation for 'and'. Also the last verb in the sentence is not in te-form)
Te-form verb is also necessary to add before certain verbs which are kudasai, iru, miru, oku and shimau. Eg tabete kudasai (please eat).

[edgardoburgos]

Thank you for reminding me the important roll (basic function) of the -te form in a sentence. Very useful in many ways.

[YoureBeingCheated]

I'm still working on understanding all the verb forms.  It would be great if there would be a lesson on the different types of presumptive verb forms (positive and negative, formal and informal).  I could use some more work on provisional and conditional forms as well.

I really appreciate all the Japan Society videos.  I have been watching them for years now, and frequently review them.  I'm kind of sad that Waku Waku Japanese ended, but thankfully the series above is continuing (michi wa tsuzuku yo).  The sensei does a great job of explaining the various topics in a logical way.

If I lived in NYC, I would visit Japan Society every day it was open. :)

[theophonchana]

買う (かう) > 買って (かって)
待つ (まつ) > 待って (まって)
帰る (かえる) > 帰って (かえって)
死ぬ (しぬ) > 死んで (しんで)
遊ぶ (あそぶ) > 遊んで (あそんで)
飲む (のむ) > 飲んで (のんで)
聞く (きく) > 聞いて (きいて)
泳ぐ (およぐ) > 泳いで (およいで)
話す (はなす) > 話して (はなして)

[LittleLulubee]

Thank you so much for bringing back the lessons!! I love the sensei :)

[riaperera]

YAY you guys brought back romanji in the description!!! Thank you <333 Arigato ne ~

[xerxesbreakforever]

The "te" form is used when the verb is referring to another one person other than yourself. For example (I will deal in polite form), to say "I eat a cookie." you would say in Japanese, クッキーを食べます。(kukkii o tabemasu).
To say "You eat a cookie", the pronoun is dropped (like in a lot of Japanese, as you'll find out) and the verb is changed to the "te" form. クッキーを食べて。 (kukkii o tabete).
Hope that helps!! (^_^)

[hardheadsp]

I like a lot your tricks to remember! this song its amazing to remember this! arigatouu!!

[KataraBloom]

Oh my gosh, the Captions. xD

Very helpful!

[xHelenBondx]

I just learned about this in my Japanese class! Nice review:)

[ShermanSitter]

I liked these better when they had beginners in mind. I miss the romanji and the explanations. I don't understand immersion when they don't explain things simply, it only slows the progress and frustrates in my experience. I learn languages very quickly, but it is the explanations that help, not teaching above your level. I really really liked the earlier episodes and was sad when the technique shifted!

[TVXQiback]

先生　i missed u so much, u don know how much i love u and i love ur lessons <3 ほんとにありがとうございました

[aldreemer]

this song really helps with memorizing the grammar! thank you! :)

[chihirorin]

Love the song it made it so much easier ! Thank you so much. ;]

[KeysMan]

It's almost been two years since the last lesson on here. I don't think they're going to continue posting.

[aidakromelyte]

WOW factor!!!, so professional SENSEI !!!

[seriousspaghetti]

at 1:42 i thought she said "callate" (shut up in spanish) xD haha lmao

[miyazakisarah]

Arigatou Gozaimasu Sensei. That was very helpful; looking for the next Lesson ^_^

[mvccarlos]

thank you for this tutorial... very helpful.