【Japanese grammar: て、 = verb and】Let’s learn how to join (or list) verbs, using てform

Sentence pattern
Sentence pattern
この記事は約3分で読めます。

On this page, you can learn how to join sentences, using てform.

Ads

eat and drink

‘to eat’ is たべる(ta be ru).

‘to drink’ is のむ(no mu).

Then, how would you say ‘eat and drink’?

The most common mistake is 「たべる と のむ」 because と is ‘and’.

However, と can’t be used to join verbs.

It is used for nouns only.

To join verbs, all you need to do is to change all the verbs but the last one into てform.

てform of たべる is たべて.

That is why, ‘eat and drink’ is

たべ、のむ

せんせい
せんせい

As you can see, it is often put a Japanese comma 「、」 after the verbs (except the last one).

eat and drink

Wrong: たべる と のむ

Correct: たべて、のむ

Ads

I eat and drink

If you want to say ‘I eat and drink’, add わたしは at the start, which is ‘I’.

わたし は たべ、のむ。

Ads

I eat sushi and drink beer

You may like to have what to eat and what to drink, ‘I eat sushi and drink beer.’ for example.

To do that, you need to place

  • すし (sushi) in front of たべて and
  • ビール (beer) in front of のむ.

わたし は すし を たべ、ビール を のむ。

アシスタント
アシスタント

Don’t forget を, object marking particle, in front of each verb.

Ads

Exercise

Task: Change into Japanese.

  • I read books and watch TV.
  • My father eats breakfast and drinks coffee.
  • 私は本を読んで、テレビを見ます。
  • 父は朝ごはんを食べて、コーヒーを飲みます。

Task: Change into English.

  • 私は友だちと話して、テニスをする。
  • 母はケーキを作って、おん楽を聞く。
  • I speak with friends and play tennis.
  • My mother makes cakes and listens to music.
Ads
日本語まとめサイト