Japanese Grammar: “て” and “で” – How to Express Reasons and Causes

Grammar
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Sentence Pattern: Verb (Te-form) + て/で – Reasons and Causes

Sentence Pattern: Verb(Te-form)てte/でde

Grammar Explanation: When expressing a reason or cause, the following clause typically describes a feeling, a state, or a resulting situation.

Ex.: ペットの猫ねこが死しんで、悲かなしいです。

Rm.: Petto no neko ga shinde, kanashii desu.
En.: Our pet cat died, and we’re sad.

Ex.: ニュースを聞きいて、びっくりしました。

Rm.: Nyusu o kiite, bikkuri shimashita.
En.: I was surprised to hear the news.

Ex.: お会あいできて、嬉うれしいです。

Rm.: Oai dekite, ureshii desu.
En.: I’m pleased to meet you.

Ex.: 子こ供どもが生うまれて、幸しあわせです。

Rm.: Kodomo ga umarete, shiawase desu.
En.: We’re so happy that we’ve had a baby.

Sentence Pattern: Verb (Negative Form: ない→なくて) – Reasons and Causes

Sentence Pattern: Verb (Negative Form: なnaいi→なnaくkuてte)

Grammar Explanation: When expressing a reason or cause, the following clause typically describes a feeling, a state, or a resulting situation.

Ex.: 家か族ぞくに会あえなくて、寂さみしいです。

Rm.: Kazoku ni aenakute, sabishii desu.
En.: I feel lonely because I can’t see my family.

Ex.: 富ふ士じ山さんが見みえなくて、がっかりしました。

Rm.: Fujisan ga mienakute, gakkari shimashita.
En.: I was disappointed because I couldn’t see Mt. Fuji.

Ex.: 子こ供どもが言いうことを聞きかなくて、とても困こまりました。

Rm.: Kodomo ga iu koto o kikanakute, totemo komarimashita.
En.: I was really frustrated because my child wouldn’t listen to me.

Ex.: 仕し事ごとが終おわらなくて、焦あせっています。
Rm.: Shigoto ga owaranakute, asette imasu.
En.: I’m stressed because I haven’t finished all my work.

Sentence Pattern: I-adjectives(い→くて) – Reasons and Causes

Sentence Pattern: I-adjectives(いi→くkuてte)

Grammar Explanation: When expressing a reason or cause, the following clause typically describes a feeling, a state, or a resulting situation.

Ex.: 問もん題だいが難むずかしくて、わかりません。

Rm.: Mondai ga muzukashikute, wakarimasen.
En.: The exams are so difficult that I can’t understand any of them.

Ex.: 野や菜さいが高たかくて、なかなか食たべべられません。

Rm.: Yasai ga takakute, nakanaka taberaremasen.
En.: Vegetables are so expensive that I can hardly afford to eat them.

Ex.: コピー機きが古ふるくて、きれいにコピーできませんでした。

Rm.: Kopiiki ga furukute, kirei ni kopii dekimasen deshita.
En.: The copier was old, so I couldn’t make clear copies.

Ex.: 字じが小ちいさくて、よく読よめません。
Rm.: Ji ga chiisakute, yoku yomemasen.
En.: The text is too small for me to read clearly.

Sentence Pattern: Na-adjectives(な→で) – Reasons and Causes

Sentence Pattern: Na-adjectives(なna→でde)

Grammar Explanation: When expressing a reason or cause, the following clause typically describes a feeling, a state, or a resulting situation.

Ex.: 操そう作さくが複ふく雑ざつで、覚おぼえられません。

Rm.: Sousa ga fukuzatsu de, oboeraremasen.
En.: The controls are so complicated that I can’t remember how to use them.

Ex.: 毎まい日にち暇ひまで、死しにそうです。

Rm.: Mainichi hima de, shinisou desu.
En.: I’m so bored every day that I feel like I’m going to die.

Ex.: 授じゅ業ぎょうが退たい屈くつで、寝ねてしまいました。

Rm.: Jugyou ga taikutsu de, nete shimaimashita.
En.: The class was so boring that I fell asleep.

Ex.: この店みせは有ゆう名めいで、いつも混こんでいます。

Rm.: Kono mise wa yuumei de, itsumo konde imasu.
En.: This restaurant is famous and is always crowded.

Sentence Pattern: Noun+で– Reasons and Causes

Sentence Pattern: Noun+でde

Grammar Explanation: When expressing a reason or cause, the following clause typically describes a feeling, a state, or a resulting situation.

Ex.: 地じ震しんで、たくさんの家か屋おくが倒とう壊かいしました。

Rm.: Jishin de, takusan no kaoku ga toukai shimashita.
En.: Many houses collapsed due to the earthquake.

Ex.: 火か事じで、家いえが焼やけてしまいました。

Rm.: Kaji de, ie ga yakete shimaimashita.
En.: Our house was destroyed by fire.

Ex.: 交こう通つう事じ故こで、入にゅう院いんしています。

Rm.: Koutsuu jiko de, nyuuin shite imasu.
En.: I’m hospitalized because of a traffic accident.

Ex.: 大おお雨あめで家いえが浸しん水すいしてしまいました
Rm.: Ooame de, ie ga shinsui shite shimaimashita.
En.: Our house was flooded due to the heavy rain.

Reference: Minna no Nihongo Lesson 39

「て/で」で理り由ゆうや原げん因いんを表あらわす場ば合あい、後こう文ぶんに「意い志し」「命めい令れい」「依い頼らい」などを表あらわす表ひょう現げんは使つかえません。

When “て/で” is used to express a reason or cause, the following clause generally cannot express intention, give a command, make a request, or convey a similar meaning.

【意い志し】

Ex.: 病びょう気きで、明あし日たは会かい社しゃを休やすみたいです。(Wrong)

Rm.: Byouki de, ashita wa kaisha o yasumitai desu.

Ex.: 病びょう気きなので、明あし日たは会かい社しゃを休やすみたいです。(Correct)

Rm.: Byouki na node, ashita wa kaisha o yasumitai desu.

En.: I’m sick, so I’d like to take tomorrow off work.

【命めい令れい】

Ex.: 危あぶなくて、止やめなさい。(Wrong)

Rm.: Abunakute, tomenasai.

Ex.: 危あぶないから、止やめなさい。(Correct)

Rm.: Abunai kara, tomenasai.
En.: It’s dangerous, so stop it!

【依い頼らい】

Ex.: 忙いそがしくて、手て伝つだってください。(Wrong)

Rm.: Isogashikute, tetsudatte kudasai.
Ex.: 忙いそがしいので、手て伝つだってください。(Correct)

Rm.: Isogashii node, tetsudatte kudasai.
En.: I’m busy, so please help me.

Japanese Grammar (日本語文法)
Learn essential Japanese grammar for daily conversations with clear explanations, examples, illustrations, and English translations. Study Minna no Nihongo grammar for JLPT N4–N5.

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