Lesson 3

Recap — the verb map so far

Every verb you’ve learned fits this table. Lesson 3 adds three new rows: te-iru, te kudasai, and te mo ii desu ka.

The te-form — the connector

The te-form is the most versatile form in Japanese. It lets you chain verbs together, make requests, ask permission, and describe ongoing actions. Everything in this lesson builds on it.

How to form it

The te-form depends on the verb’s final sound (for U verbs) or simply drops -ru (for RU verbs).

RU verbs — drop -ru, add -te

U verbs — depends on the final sound:

Irregulars

Note: tsukuru (to make) ends in -ru but is a U verb — it follows the -u/tsu/ru → tte rule, not the RU verb rule. Its te-form is tsukutte, not tsukute.

-teiru — ongoing actions

Attach -iru to the te-form and you get the continuous/ongoing aspect: something is happening right now, or is in a continuing state.

Formula: te-form + iru (→ polite: te + imasu)

ima nani o shiteimasu ka? — What are you doing right now?

nihongo o benkyou shiteimasu — I am studying Japanese.

ima nani o nondeimasu ka? — What are you drinking right now?

mizu o nondeimasu — I am drinking water.

itsu kara tsukutteimasu ka? — Since when have you been making it?

kara means “from / since” — so itsu kara = “since when”. The -teiru form covers both “currently doing” and “have been doing (since some point)”.

kara and made — from and to

These two particles mark a range — in time, place, or quantity.

ku-ji kara go-ji made shigoto shimasu — I work from 9 to 5.

tokyo kara osaka made ikimasu — I’m going from Tokyo to Osaka.

itsu kara benkyou shiteimasu ka? — Since when have you been studying?

te kudasai — please do X

Attach kudasai to the te-form and you make a polite request: “please do X.”

Formula: te-form + kudasai

mizu o nonde kudasai — Please drink water.

nihongo o benkyou shite kudasai — Please study Japanese.

sukoshi matte kudasai / chotto matte kudasai — Please wait a little.

sukoshi and chotto both mean “a little” / “just a moment” — chotto is the more casual of the two.

Please + noun (no verb needed)

When you want to request a thing rather than an action, skip the te-form entirely and use:

noun + o + kudasai

mizu o kudasai — Water, please.

mizu o hitotsu kudasai — One water, please.

onegaishimasu is a more formal alternative to kudasai for requests — both work.

Counting things — hitotsu, futatsu, mittsu

Japanese has a native counting system for general objects:

These go after the object + o:

mizu o hitotsu kudasai — One water, please.

ringo o futatsu kudasai — Two apples, please.

te mo ii desu ka — may I?

To ask permission politely, attach mo ii desu ka to the te-form.

Formula: te-form + mo ii desu ka?

ii means “good / okay”, so literally this is: “Is it okay if I [te-form]?”

To say yes: ii desu / hai, douzo (yes, go ahead).

To say no (politely): chotto… (a bit…) — Japanese often trails off rather than a flat no.

Chaining verbs with the te-form

The te-form acts as “and” between verbs — listing actions in sequence or doing one while doing another.

Formula: verb1 (te-form) + verb2

ringo to banana — apple and banana (for nouns, use to)

New verbs this lesson

tsukuru — to make (U verb)

matsu — to wait (U verb)

yomu — to read (U verb)

Quick reference — Lesson 3