Everyday Japanese (N5/A1): Words and Grammar · Lesson 18 of 24

Lesson 18: The て-Form: Three Kinds of Verbs

Learn the three verb groups and how to make the て-form (かって, のんで, かいて, たべて, して), with 40 verbs, audio and the rules that unlock the next lessons.

MeroSir Team · 5 min read · Englishनेपालीमा पढ्नुहोस्
Lesson 18: The て-Form: Three Kinds of Verbs

The て-form is the most useful form in Japanese. With it you ask for things (〜て ください), ask permission (〜ても いいですか), say what is happening (〜て います) and join actions. This lesson is the hardest in the course because you must learn the rules once; after that Lessons 19 to 21 are easy.

Step 1: which group is the verb in?

GroupAlso calledHow to recognise itExamples
Group 1u-verbs (godan)the dictionary form ends in う, く, ぐ, す, つ, ぬ, ぶ, む or る (and the ます stem ends in an い-column sound)かきます, のみます, いきます, はなします, かいます
Group 2ru-verbs (ichidan)the dictionary form ends in いる or える. The ます stem often ends in え (always Group 2) or a single い-column soundたべます, みます, おきます, ねます, おしえます
Group 3irregularonly two verbs: します (to do) and きます (to come), plus 〜します verbsします, きます, べんきょうします

A shortcut: if the ます stem ends in an え-column sound (たべます, あけます, おしえます), the verb is certainly Group 2. If it ends in an い-column sound, it can be Group 1 (かきます) or Group 2 (おきます, みます): learn the common Group 2 verbs by heart (the table below).

Watch out: these look like Group 2 but are Group 1: かえります (go home), はいります (enter), はしります (run), しります (get to know), きります (cut), いります (need).

Step 2: the rules

Group 1: look at the last sound before ます

Ends inChange toExampleListen
い, ち, りってかいます → かって, まちます → まって, かえります → かえって▶
み, び, にんでのみます → のんで, あそびます → あそんで, しにます → しんで▶
きいてかきます → かいて, ききます → きいて, はたらきます → はたらいて▶
ぎいでおよぎます → およいで, いそぎます → いそいで▶
ししてはなします → はなして, だします → だして▶
exception: いきますいっていきます → いって (not いいて)▶

Group 2: drop ます, add て

たべます → たべて, みます → みて, おきます → おきて.

Group 3: memorise

します → して, きます → きて, べんきょうします → べんきょうして.

40 common verbs in the て-form

Group 1 (u-verbs)

ます-formて-formMeaningListen
かいますかってकिन्नु
to buy		▶
あいますあってभेट्नु
to meet		▶
いいますいってभन्नु
to say		▶
つかいますつかってप्रयोग गर्नु
to use		▶
まちますまってपर्खनु
to wait		▶
もちますもってसमात्नु / बोक्नु
to hold, carry		▶
たちますたってउभिनु
to stand		▶
かえりますかえってफर्कनु
to return		▶
はいりますはいってभित्र पस्नु
to enter		▶
のりますのってचढ्नु
to ride, board		▶
わかりますわかってबुझ्नु
to understand		▶
とりますとってलिनु / खिच्नु
to take		▶
のみますのんでपिउनु
to drink		▶
よみますよんでपढ्नु
to read		▶
やすみますやすんでआराम गर्नु
to rest		▶
あそびますあそんでखेल्नु
to play		▶
よびますよんでबोलाउनु
to call		▶
すみますすんでबस्नु (बसोबास)
to live		▶
たのみますたのんでअनुरोध गर्नु
to ask for, order		▶
かきますかいてलेख्नु
to write		▶
ききますきいてसुन्नु
to listen, ask		▶
はたらきますはたらいてकाम गर्नु
to work		▶
あるきますあるいてहिँड्नु
to walk		▶
いきますいってजानु (अपवाद)
to go (exception)		▶
およぎますおよいでपौडिनु
to swim		▶
いそぎますいそいでहतार गर्नु
to hurry		▶
はなしますはなしてबोल्नु
to speak		▶
だしますだしてनिकाल्नु / बुझाउनु
to take out, submit		▶
おしますおしてथिच्नु
to push, press		▶
かしますかしてसापटी दिनु
to lend		▶

Group 2 (ru-verbs)

ます-formて-formMeaningListen
たべますたべてखानु
to eat		▶
みますみてहेर्नु
to see, watch		▶
おきますおきてउठ्नु
to get up		▶
ねますねてसुत्नु
to sleep		▶
あけますあけてखोल्नु
to open		▶
しめますしめてबन्द गर्नु
to close		▶
おしえますおしえてसिकाउनु / बताउनु
to teach, tell		▶
かけますかけてफोन गर्नु / झुण्ड्याउनु
to call, hang		▶
でかけますでかけてबाहिर जानु
to go out		▶
あびますあびてनुहाउनु (सावर)
to take a shower		▶
かりますかりてसापटी लिनु
to borrow		▶
おりますおりてओर्लनु
to get off		▶
つけますつけてबाल्नु / लगाउनु
to turn on, attach		▶
わすれますわすれてबिर्सनु
to forget		▶
いますいてहुनु (जीवित)
to be (living)		▶

Group 3 (irregular)

ます-formて-formMeaningListen
しますしてगर्नु
to do		▶
きますきてआउनु
to come		▶
べんきょうしますべんきょうしてपढ्नु
to study		▶
もってきますもってきてल्याउनु
to bring		▶

First use: joining actions

With the て-form you can list actions in order, "... and then ...". Only the last verb carries the tense and politeness.

JapaneseRomajiनेपालीEnglishListen
あさ おきて、ごはんを たべて、かいしゃへ いきます。asa okite, gohan o tabete, kaisha e ikimasu.बिहान उठेर, खाना खाएर, कम्पनी जान्छु।I get up in the morning, eat, and go to the company.▶
えきで でんしゃに のって、しんじゅくで おります。eki de densha ni notte, shinjuku de orimasu.स्टेसनमा रेल चढेर शिन्जुकुमा ओर्लन्छु।I board the train at the station and get off at Shinjuku.▶
きのう ともだちに あって、ごはんを たべました。kinou tomodachi ni atte, gohan o tabemashita.हिजो साथीलाई भेटेर खाना खाएँ।Yesterday I met a friend and we ate.▶

Practise: say each ます-form verb and its て-form aloud, until the table feels natural. You will use the て-form in every lesson from now on.

Every ▶ button plays a clear computer voice, which is good for learning sounds and rhythm but is not a native speaker. Pitch (the rise and fall of the voice) can sound a little flat. Also listen to real Japanese as often as you can: videos, news for learners (NHK Easy), and Japanese people around you.

Check yourself

Try to answer every question before you look at the answers.

  1. Make the て-form of かいます.
  2. Make the て-form of のみます.
  3. Make the て-form of かきます.
  4. Make the て-form of いきます (exception).
  5. Make the て-form of はなします.
  6. Make the て-form of たべます.
  7. Make the て-form of べんきょうします.
  8. Which group is かえります in?
  9. Which group is おきます in, and what is its て-form?
  10. Join: I get up, eat, and go to work.

Answers

Count your correct answers. If you got fewer than 7 out of 10, read the lesson again and listen to the audio once more.

  1. かって.
  2. のんで.
  3. かいて.
  4. いって.
  5. はなして.
  6. たべて.
  7. べんきょうして.
  8. Group 1 (it looks like Group 2 but is not): かえって.
  9. Group 2: おきて.
  10. おきて、たべて、しごとへ いきます。
#Japanese#N5#Verbs
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MeroSir Team
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Lesson 18: The て-Form: Three Kinds of Verbs | MeroSir