JLPT N5 Grammar: て形 (te‑form)

What is the て形 (te‑form)?

The te‑form is a conjugated verb form that ends in て (or で for voiced endings). It's the connecting form — it links the verb to other words like ください, います, or to another action. How you make it depends on the verb group.

⚡ Group 1 (godan) — Sound Changes

This is the only hard part. Group 1 verbs undergo a sound change depending on their final syllable. The result always ends in て or で.

💡 Memory trick: "く→いて ぐ→いで / す→して / うつる→って / むぶぬ→んで / 行く→行って" — this is the famous te‑form song that Japanese schoolchildren learn.

⚠️ Complete "Fake Ichidan" Te‑Form List

These verbs look like Group 2 (end in ‑iru/‑eru), but they're actually Group 1 (godan). Their te‑forms follow godan rules, not the simple "drop る + て" pattern. Every JLPT N5 learner must memorise these.

💡 Pattern: If two or more kana come before the final る (e.g., かえ.る, はい.る, はし.る), the verb is almost certainly Group 1 and takes って. Single‑kana before る (み.る, ね.る) are usually Group 2 — but 切きる and 練ねる are the main exceptions.

🔍 Same Root, Different Group, Different Meaning

These verb pairs share the same kanji and root, but belong to different verb groups — and their meanings and te‑forms change accordingly. This is one of the most subtle traps at N5 and N4 level.

💡 Key insight: Many intransitive/transitive pairs follow this pattern: Group 1 verbs often end in ‑aru/‑u (intransitive), while their Group 2 counterparts end in ‑eru (transitive). But there are exceptions — always check both the group and the meaning.

Group 2 (ichidan) — Drop る, Add て

Group 2 verbs are completely regular. Just drop the final る and add て. No sound changes, no exceptions.

But remember: the "fake ichidan" verbs like 帰かえる, 切きる, 入はいる are actually Group 1 — their te‑forms follow the godan rules (帰かえって, 切きって, 入はいって).

Irregular Verbs — する & 来くる

📊 Complete Te‑form Conjugation Grid

This table shows the te‑form for every verb group with representative examples. Use it as a reference.

⚡ Main Uses of the Te‑form

Common Mistakes (and Fixes)

JLPT N5 Practice Questions

About the Instructor

Taught by Anup Sensei at Gogaku Language & Training Center in Pokhara. With real Japan experience and a focus on exam essentials, he helps students pass the JLPT with confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions