Japanese grammar: How to make the te-form

From UniLang Wiki

The te-form of a verb is commonly used. This page shows how to correctly make the te-form based on the stem of the verb.

There are basically three groups of verbs: verbs whose stem ends in a vowel, verbs whose stem ends in a consonant, and the irregular verbs. These two groups have also been called u-verbs and ru-verbs (depending on which textbook you read).

Vowel-stem verbs

These are the easiest. Take away the -る (ru) of the stem and add the -て (te).

• • 見る [miru] -> 見て [mite] to look
  • 開ける [akeru] -> 開けて [akete] to open
  • 食べる [taberu] -> 食べて [tabete] to eat

Warning: not all verbs ending in -iru or -eru are vowel-stem verbs. Example:

• • 切る [kiru] is an -r stem verb, therefore the -te form is 切って [kitte] to cut
    

If a verb ends in aru, uru, or oru, it is definitly a consonant stem verb ending in ru. If the verb ends in iru or eru, it is usually a vowel-stem verb, but not always.

Consonant-stem verbs

• ends in く: stem + i + te
  • 書く [kaku] -> 書いて [kaite] to write

• ends in ぐ: stem + i + de
  • 泳ぐ [oyogu] -> 泳いで [oyoide] to swim

• ends in す: stem + shi + te
  • 来す [kitasu] -> 来して [kitashite] to cause

• ends in ぬ,ぶ, or む: stem + n + de
  • 読む [yomu] -> 読んんで [yonde] to read

• ends in つ,う, or る: stem + t + te
  • 待つ [matsu] -> 待って [matte] to wait
  • 会う [au] -> 会って [atte] to meet

Irregular verbs

• • する [suru] -> して [shite] to be
  • 行く [iku] -> 行って [itte] to go
  • 来る [kuru] -> 来て [kite] to come

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