N4 · Adjectives and adverbs
Linking adjectives with くて and で
the te-form of adjectives
くて and で join an adjective to what follows, where English says "and".
Japanese cannot join two adjectives with と, which links nouns only. To say "cheap and tasty", the first adjective takes its te-form. An i-adjective replaces い with くて: 安くておいしい. A na-adjective adds で: 静かできれいな部屋, "a quiet, clean room". Nouns link the same way: 兄は医者で、弟は学生です.
The te-form carries no tense and no politeness of its own; both come from the end of the sentence. 安くておいしかったです is "It was cheap and tasty", with the past and the politeness only on the last adjective. A whole chain of three or four can hang on one ending.
The link can also give a loose reason: 寒くて眠れませんでした, "It was so cold I couldn't sleep". This works for feelings and states the speaker could not help. It does not work before a request, an invitation or a decision — there you need から or ので.
Two things go wrong for English speakers. The first is と between adjectives, because English "and" joins anything. The second is linking two qualities that pull in opposite directions. くて expects the second half to go the same way as the first; for "expensive but tasty" Japanese uses けど or が: 高いけど、おいしい.
The form
stem (regular) stem (irregular) ending
| cheap and … | 安くて |
| big and … | 大きくて |
| good and … | よくて |
| quiet and … | 静かで |
| clean and … | きれいで |
| not expensive, and … | 高くなくて |
| a noun: a student, and … | 学生で |
The rules one by one
The form this topic is about
An i-adjective links by changing い to くて.
この店は安くておいしいです。This restaurant is cheap and good.
A na-adjective or a noun links with で.
山田さんは親切で面白い人です。Ms Yamada is a kind, funny person.
Tense and politeness are shown only at the end.
部屋は広くて明るかったです。The room was big and bright.
くて and で can give a loose reason for a state or a feeling.
問題が難しくて、わかりませんでした。The question was so hard that I could not work it out.
Two qualities that pull in opposite directions take けど or が instead.
高いけど、とてもおいしいです。It's expensive, but very tasty.
A closer look
When くて may not give the reason
The reason reading of くて is limited to results nobody chose: being unable to sleep, being glad, being late. If the second half is a request, an offer or the speaker's own decision, the te-form sounds wrong, and Japanese switches to ので or から.
So 暑くて眠れない ("too hot to sleep") is fine, but "It's hot, so please open the window" is 暑いので、窓を開けてください. Learners who have just discovered the te-form tend to use it for every "so"; the second half is what decides.
Exceptions and special cases (1)
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the adjective is いい
its te-form is よくて, built on よ like its other forms.
この部屋は景色がよくて、気持ちがいいです。This room has a fine view and feels pleasant.
Only the present of いい uses い; everything else comes from よい.
How to spot it
- 〜くて
- 〜で
- 〜くなくて
- よくて
Example sentences
このパソコンは軽くて便利です。This laptop is light and convenient.
京都は古くてきれいな町です。Kyoto is an old and beautiful city.
父は料理が上手で、母は歌が上手です。My father is good at cooking and my mother is good at singing.
昨日は忙しくて、昼ご飯を食べる時間がありませんでした。Yesterday was so busy that I had no time for lunch.
このかばんは丈夫で安いです。This bag is sturdy and cheap.
部屋が暗くて、よく見えません。The room is so dark that I cannot see well.
8 more example sentences
東京の夏は暑くて長いです。Summer in Tokyo is hot and long.
彼女はきれいで優しい人です。She is a beautiful, kind person.
この道は狭くて危ないです。This road is narrow and dangerous.
試験に合格して、うれしくて泣きました。I passed the exam and cried with joy.
ホテルは駅から近くて便利でした。The hotel was close to the station and convenient.
日曜日は暇で、ずっと家にいました。I had nothing to do on Sunday and stayed at home all day.
このスープは熱くて飲めません。This soup is too hot to drink.
兄は背が高くて、足が長いです。My brother is tall and has long legs.
Worth knowing (1)
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The negative links too
Because ない is an i-adjective, a negative links in the same way: 高くなくて, 静かじゃなくて. It often gives the reason for what follows.
辛くなくて、子どもでも食べられます。It isn't spicy, so even children can eat it.
The trap English speakers fall into
Watch out
と means "and" only between nouns. Between adjectives it turns into the conditional と, and the sentence says "whenever it is cheap, it is tasty", which is not what was meant. Adjectives link through their te-form.
Adjectives never link with と: use くて for i-adjectives and で for na-adjectives.
Your turn
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