Examples
Meaning
The て形 is not one single meaning by itself. It is a useful verb form that connects actions and appears inside many basic Japanese grammar patterns.
Formation
Change the verb into its て form. For example, 書く becomes 書いて, 読む becomes 読んで, 食べる becomes 食べて, and する becomes して.
Usage
At JLPT N5 level, the て形 is especially important because it is used in patterns such as 〜てください, 〜てもいい, and 〜てはいけない. These patterns let you make requests, give permission, ask permission, and say that something is not allowed.
Nuance
The て形 itself is neutral. The politeness or strength comes from the words that follow it, such as ください or もいいです.
Comparison
The ます form is often used to make polite sentences, while the て形 is often used to connect verbs or attach another grammar pattern.
Common Mistakes
A common mistake is using the dictionary form before ください or もいい. Say 座ってください, not 座るください. Another mistake is forgetting that different verb groups make the て形 in different ways.
Related Grammar
〜てください
〜てください, or te kudasai, is used to make a polite request, such as asking someone to do something for you or giving a simple instruction.
〜ないでください
〜ないでください, or nai de kudasai, is used to politely ask someone not to do something.
〜てもいい
〜てもいい, or te mo ii, means that doing something is okay or allowed. It is also used in question form to ask for permission.
〜てはいけない
〜てはいけない, or te wa ikenai, means that doing something is not allowed. The polite form 〜てはいけません is common in rules and instructions.