The て-form: How to Conjugate It (Complete Rules + Examples)
Building it, group by group
The て-form is driven entirely by the verb's group and its last syllable. Work through the three groups in this order — irregulars first, since they're everywhere, then the easy group, then the one worth drilling.
Group 3 — the two irregulars. There are only two, and you meet them constantly:
| Verb | て-form |
|---|---|
| する (to do) | して |
| 来る (くる, to come) | 来て (きて) |
Group 2 — ru-verbs. For Group 2 verbs (ichidan / "ru-verbs"), just drop る and add て:
| Verb | て-form |
|---|---|
| 食べる (to eat) | 食べて |
| 見る (to see) | 見て |
| 寝る (to sleep) | 寝て |
Group 1 — u-verbs (the song). Group 1 verbs (godan / "u-verbs") change based on their last syllable. This is the part worth memorising — many learners use a little song to lock it in:
| Ending | Changes to | Example |
|---|---|---|
| う・つ・る | って | 買う → 買って · 待つ → 待って · 帰る → 帰って |
| む・ぶ・ぬ | んで | 飲む → 飲んで · 遊ぶ → 遊んで · 死ぬ → 死んで |
| く | いて | 書く → 書いて |
| ぐ | いで | 泳ぐ → 泳いで |
| す | して | 話す → 話して |
The one exception: 行く (to go) is a Group 1 verb but becomes 行って (not 行いて).
Don't try to memorise every verb's て-form — memorise the rules by ending, then drill until they're reflexive: nail the two irregulars, internalise "Group 2 = drop る + て," lock in the Group 1 song, and remember 行く → 行って.
What building it lets you say
If you learn one conjugation well, make it this one. The て-form by itself just connects ideas ("do X and…"), but it's the launchpad for an enormous family of patterns: 〜てください (please do), 〜ている (is doing / state), 〜てから (after doing), 〜てもいい (may), 〜てしまう (end up), and many more. Get the て-form solid and all of those become easy.
The conjugation traps
Three slips catch nearly everyone:
- 行く → 行いて (✗). It's the famous exception: 行って.
- Treating ru-looking Group 1 verbs as Group 2. 帰る (かえる) and 入る (はいる) look like ru-verbs but are Group 1 → 帰って, 入って. These have to be learned individually.
- Mixing んで and いて. む・ぶ・ぬ → んで; く → いて. Keep the two groups apart.
The te-form in action
ヤッタンは朝ごはんを食べて、学校へ行きます。
ヤッタンは あさごはんを たべて、がっこうへ いきます。
Yattan eats breakfast and goes to school.
Plain て-form just connects two actions in sequence.
モチ、ちょっと待ってください。
モチ、ちょっと まって ください。
Mochi, please wait a moment.
待つ → 待って (う・つ・る group) + ください.
弟は本を読んでいます。
おとうとは ほんを よんで います。
My little brother is reading a book.
読む → 読んで (む・ぶ・ぬ group) + いる.
先生は音楽を聞いて、リラックスします。
せんせいは おんがくを きいて、リラックスします。
The teacher listens to music and relaxes.
聞く → 聞いて (く group).
The short version
- Group 3: する→して, 来る→来て.
- Group 2: drop る, add て.
- Group 1: う/つ/る→って, む/ぶ/ぬ→んで, く→いて, ぐ→いで, す→して.
- Exception: 行く→行って.
Practice it
Form the て-form of each verb.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
Choose the grammar pattern that best completes the sentence.
モチ、ちょっと＿＿＿ください。
Frequently asked questions
What is the て-form used for?
By itself it connects actions ('do X and…'), but it's mainly the base for many patterns: 〜てください (please), 〜ている (is doing), 〜てから (after), 〜てもいい (may), 〜てしまう (end up), and more.
What's the te-form of 行く?
行って. It's the well-known exception: 行く is a Group 1 verb but takes って rather than the expected いて.
How do I know if a verb is Group 1 or Group 2?
Most verbs ending in -eru or -iru are Group 2 (drop る + て). But some like 帰る (かえる) and 入る (はいる) are Group 1 despite looking like ru-verbs, so a few must be memorised.
Is the た-form (past) related?
Yes — the plain past た-form follows the exact same sound changes as the て-form (買って → 買った, 読んで → 読んだ). Learn one and the other comes almost free.
Where The て-form fits
Once this clicks, go on to
- 〜ている · N5 — 〜ている has two big jobs: an ongoing action ('is doing') and a continuing state ('is in a state'). Learn when it means which, how to form it, and see clear examples.
- 〜てください · N5 — 〜てください is the standard way to politely ask someone to do something ('please do…'). Learn the formation, the negative 〜ないでください, softer variations, and see clear examples.
- 〜てから · N5 — 〜てから links two actions in order: do X first, then Y. Learn the て-form + から pattern, how it differs from 〜たあとで, and why it is not the から that means 'because'.
More N5 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜から — から has two everyday jobs: 'because' (giving a reason) and 'from' (a starting point in time or place). Learn how each works, how it differs from ので, with clear examples.
- 〜ので — 〜ので gives a reason in a soft, polite way ('because…'). Learn how it attaches, how it differs from から, and why it's the safer choice for explanations and excuses.
- 〜し — The particle し links plain-form reasons or qualities with an 'and what's more' nuance: 安いし、おいしい. Learn the formation, the implied-conclusion use, and how it pairs with から.
- 〜ないでください — 〜ないでください is the polite way to ask someone not to do something ('please don't…'). Learn the formation from the ない-form, with examples and how it pairs with 〜てください.
- 〜てはいけない — 〜てはいけない means 'must not / not allowed to.' Learn the て-form formation, the polite てはいけません, casual ちゃいけない/じゃいけない, and the だめ and ならない variants.
- いちばん — いちばん (一番) makes superlatives in Japanese: just put it before an adjective to say 'the most ~' or 'the ~est.' Learn the で / の中で scope, how to ask and answer, and the common より mix-up.