て / で
🃏 Flashcard
て / で
te / de
Tap to reveal usage
conjunctive; so; because of [A], [B]...
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
te / de
Post ID
50771
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
conjunctive; so; because of [A], [B]...
📖 How to use it
Connects clauses to show reason or sequence, meaning 'so' or 'because of A, B'.
Attaches to
Attach て to the て-form of verbs and い-adjectives (e.g., 食べて, 忙しくて), and で directly to the stem of nouns and な-adjectives (e.g., 学生で, 元気で).
This pattern links two clauses where the first clause gives a reason or cause for the second. It is very common in everyday conversation and writing. For verbs and い-adjectives, you use the て-form; for nouns and な-adjectives, you use で. This is a casual but standard way to say 'so' or 'because'. It is not as strong as から or ので, but it is perfectly natural in spoken Japanese.
昨日は疲れて、早く寝ました。
Kinou wa tsukarete, hayaku nemashita.
I was tired yesterday, so I went to bed early.
この店は安くて、美味しいです。
Kono mise wa yasukute, oishii desu.
This shop is cheap and delicious.
彼は学生で、毎日アルバイトをしています。
Kare wa gakusei de, mainichi arubaito o shite imasu.
He is a student, so he works part-time every day.
Not から
から is a stronger, more explicit reason marker and is used when the speaker wants to emphasize the cause. て/で is softer and often implies a natural consequence, not a strong logical reason.
Register
This is neutral and widely used in both speaking and writing, but in very formal writing, ので or から may be preferred for clarity.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
て / で
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat て / で three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using て / で. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern て / で mean?
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Conjunctive; so; because of [A], [B]...
What JLPT level is て / で?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use て / で in a sentence?
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Attach て / で (te / de) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is て / で formal or casual Japanese?
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て / で is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember て / で long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.