N4 Expressing Multiple Reasons

~て/で: meaning, usage and examples

~て/で means: a cause or reason.

Updated 9 November 2026 · By the My Senpai team · Spotted a mistake? Tell us

Examples

1. 電車でんしゃが遅おくれて、会議かいぎに遅刻ちこくしました。

   The train was delayed, so I was late for the meeting.

2. 財布さいふを忘わすれて、困こまりました。

   I forgot my wallet, so I was stuck.

3. 台風たいふうで電車でんしゃが止とまりました。

   The trains stopped because of the typhoon.

4. そのニュースを聞きいて、驚おどろきました。

   I was surprised to hear that news.

When to use it

The て-form can show a cause: the first part happens, and the second part is the result. It is common with feelings and states in the second half, such as 困こまりました, びっくりしました, 疲つかれました, or with a natural result: 台風たいふうで電車でんしゃが止とまりました. Noun + で gives a cause such as illness, weather or an accident.

Nuance

Softer and less explicit than から or ので. The second half is usually something the speaker did not choose: a feeling, a state, or something that happened. Requests, orders, invitations and wishes cannot follow a て-form cause.

Compare

から and ので can be followed by a request: 寒さむいので、窓まどを閉しめてください. The て-form cannot: 寒さむくて、窓まどを閉しめてください is wrong. て-form as a sequence (起おきて、顔かおを洗あらいます) shows order, not cause; context decides which one is meant.

Tip: If the second half is a request, invitation or your own plan, switch to から or ので. Keep て for "and so I felt / it became".

More on this in The Japanese te-form.