This lengthy post is going to tell you a kind of experimental method to get Te-form of Japanese verbs.
We learned how to convert a verb from Masu-form to Te-form two days ago. To put it simply, the method is as follows:
Step1. Determine whether the verb is Group2 or Group1
Step2. In the case of Group1, check the letter just before “masu”
Step3. Apply “I/Chi/Ri=>tte, Bi/Mi/Ni=>nde, Ki=>ite, Gi=>ide, Shi=>shite”
If you apply this method, the only exception* happens for the verb “Iku/Ikimasu”, which basically means “go” in English.
How is “Iku/Ikimasu” exceptional? Let us examine;
Step1. Determine whether the verb is Group2 or Group1
This determination uses “Nai-form”. The Nai-form of “Iku/Ikimasu” is “Ikanai”.
– If the vowel before “nai” is “i” or “e”, the verb is a Group2 verb.
– If the vowel before “nai” is “a”, the verb is a Group1 verb.
Nai-form “Ik<a>nai” tells you that “Iku/Ikimasu” is a Group1 verb.
Step2. In the case of Group1, check the letter just before “masu”
Masu-form is “I<ki>masu”. Therefore, the letter “ki” is important to know what the Te-form of “Iku/Ikimasu”. Note that “ki” is two letters in alphabet, but “ki” is one letter “き” in Japanese.
Step3. Apply “I/Chi/Ri=>tte, Bi/Mi/Ni=>nde, Ki=>ite, Gi=>ide, Shi=>shite”
Since the letter just before “masu” is “ki”, Te-form of “Iku/Ikimasu” might be as below, by replacing “ki” by “ite”;
Ikimasu (in Masu-form ) + ite => Iki + ite (“ite” is substituted into “ki”) => Iite
BUT, Te-form “Iite” for “Iku/Ikimasu” is wrong. It must be “Itte”. Therefore, Itte as Te-form of “Iku/Ikimasu” is the exception, even though “Iku/Ikimasu” is a Group1 verb.
How do you feel about the method from Step1 through Step3 above? Probably Step1 is incomprehensible for most of Japanese learners. Why Step1 is necessary? Why Nai-form is used for determination? What is the meaning of focusing on the vowels in front of “nai”? Learners neither understand nor master the method in most cases.
So, from here, an experimental kind of things starts. As a method to get Te-form from Masu-form, how about omitting the Step1. If you did Step1, and then Step2 and Step3, the only exception is “Iku/Ikimasu”*. It is expected, if you skip Step1 and start from Step2, exceptions may increase. The number of exceptions is acceptable? Let us think about it; If you skip the Step1, the method will be as the followings;
If the letter before “masu” of Masu-form is one of { i, chi, ri, bi, mi, ni, ki, gi, or shi }, apply;
i/chi/ri=>tte, bi/mi/ni=>nde, ki=>ite, gi=>ide, shi=>shite, and Itte for Ikimasu
The followings are exceptions that you cannot obtain the right Te-form from this method;
[ i =>tte ]
– Kuimasu (悔います) i=> Kutte is Wrong, Kuite is Right because Kuiru/Kuimasu is Group2.
[ chi =>tte ]
– Kuchimasu (朽ちます) chi=> Kutte is Wrong, Kuchite is Right because Kuchiru/Kuchimasu is Group2
– Michiru (満ちます) chi=> Mitte is Wrong, Michite is Right because Michiru/Michimasu is Group2.
[ ri => tte ]
– Karimasu (借ります) ri=> Katte is Wrong, Karite is Right because Kariru/Karimasu is Group2.
– Korimasu (懲ります) ri=> Kotte is Wrong, Korite is Right because Koriru/Korimasu is Group2. Be careful for Koru(凝る/凝ります) whose te-form is Kotte,
[ bi => nde ]
– Abimasu (浴びます) bi=> Ande is Wrong, Abite is Right because Abiru/Abimasu is Group2.
– Obimasu (帯びます) bi=> Onde is Wrong, Obite is Right because Obiru/Obimasu is Group2.
– Kobimasu (媚びます) bi=> Konde is Wrong, Kobite is Right because Kobiru/Kobimasu is Group2.
– Sabimasu (錆びます) bi=> Sande is Wrong, Sabite is Right because Sabiru/Sabimasu is Group2.
– Nobimasu (伸びます／延びます) bi=> Nonde is Wrong, Nobite is Right because Nobiru/Nobimasu is Group2.
– Wabimasu (詫びます) bi=> Wande is Wrong, Wabite is Right because Wabiru/Wabimasu is Group2.
[ mi => nde ]
– Shimimasu (染みます) mi=> Shinde is Wrong, Shimite is Right because Shimiru/Shimimasu is Group2.
[ ni => nde ]
– Nimasu (煮ます) ni=> Nde is Wrong, Nite is Right because Niru/Nimasu is Group2. Note that Niru(似る)/Nimasu(似ます) also takes “Nite” for Te-form.
[ ki => ite ]
– Akimasu (飽きます) ki=> Aite is Wrong, Akite is Right because Akiru/Akimasu is Group2. Be careful for Aku/Akimasu(開く/開きます)，because its Te-form is “Aite”
– Ikimasu (生きます) ki=> Iite is Wrong, Ikite is Right because Ikiru/Ikimasu is Group2. Be careful that Te-form of Iku/Ikimasu(行く/行きます) is “Itte”
– Okimasu (起きます) ki=> Oite is Wrong, Okite is Right because Okiru/Okimasu is Group2. Be careful for Oku/Okimasu(置く/置きます), because its Te-form is “Oite”.
[ gi => ide ]
– Sugimasu (過ぎます) gi=> Suide is Wrong, Sugite is Right because Sugiru/Sugimasu is Group2.
These are what I found for exceptions when omitting the Step1 to convert a verb from Masu-form to Te-form. I guess exceptions are not limited to the above, there should be more. Do you think it is okay to treat them as exceptions? Is the number acceptable? Probably not.
Therefore, if we discuss the method to get Te-form of a verb, Step1 is necessary. The step1 is to distinguish Group1 verbs and Group2 verbs. Then, the next question is whether or not that All the Japanese language schools really teach the Step1 when they introduce “i/chi/ri=>tte, bi/mi/ni=>nde, ki=>ite, gi=>ide, shi=>shite, and Itte for Ikimasu”. I am not sure, or, I don’t think so. I think there are two ways to learn how to make Te-forms of Japanese verbs.
– 1: Knowing the Step1 through 3 first, and then applying these to get Te-forms.
– 2: Make you exposed a lot of Japanese, and you remember Te-form of each verb.
Perhaps 1 is a kind of deductive way, and 2 is inductive way. In the realm of second language learning, deductive or inductive things are always an important issue. We have looked through the steps to get Te-form, and now know that those steps are complicated and cumbersome. So, when it comes to get Te-form, the inductive way would be better for most of Japanese learners. But just in case, some learner likes the elaborate method of “ichiri=>tte, bimini=>nde, ——”. I hope this long post may be helpful for someone.
* “Iku/Ikimasu” is not the only exception actually. For example, the Te-form of “Tou/Toimasu(問う/問います)” which is a Group1 verb is not “totte” but “toute”. But this is unnecessary knowledge for beginner’s level.
Agony or Fun?! Second Language Learning 