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て details

write + (and…)

kaite

because; and so — a cause and the reaction it produces

電車でんしゃが遅おくれて、会議かいぎに間まに合あいませんでした。

densha ga okurete, kaigi ni ma ni aimasen deshita.

The train was delayed, so I didn't make it to the meeting. neutral

この荷物にもつは重おもくて、一人ひとりでは運はこべません。

kono nimotsu wa omokute, hitori de wa hakobemasen.

This luggage is heavy, and so I can't carry it by myself. neutral

  • て-form
  • i-adjective stem
  • na-adjective

Examples

because; and so — the first clause causes a feeling, an ability or an outcome the speaker did not choose

電車でんしゃが遅おくれて、会議かいぎに間まに合あいませんでした。

densha ga okurete, kaigi ni ma ni aimasen deshita.

The train was delayed, so I didn't make it to the meeting. neutral

この荷物にもつは重おもくて、一人ひとりでは運はこべません。

kono nimotsu wa omokute, hitori de wa hakobemasen.

This luggage is heavy, and so I can't carry it by myself. neutral

久ひさしぶりにみんなに会あえて、めっちゃ嬉うれしかった。

hisashiburi ni minna ni aete, meccha ureshikatta.

I got to see everyone for the first time in ages, and I was so happy. casual

今いまの家いえは駅えきから遠とおくて交通こうつうも不便ふべんで、通かようのが大変たいへんです。

ima no ie wa eki kara tookute koutsuu mo fuben de, kayou no ga taihen desu.

My current place is far from the station and the transport is bad too, so the commute is a chore. neutral

ご連絡れんらくが遅おくれて、大変たいへん失礼しつれいいたしました。

go renraku ga okurete, taihen shitsurei itashimashita.

I do apologise for the delay in getting back to you. formal

Formation

Notes

What follows causal て is a feeling, an ability or a result — never
something the speaker proposes doing. Put a request or a command after て
and the sentence flips back to plain sequencing: 座すわって待まって
is "sit down and wait", not "wait because you sat down".

Related patterns

Similar

  • から

    から asserts the reason as the speaker's case and licenses a command, request or invitation after it (寒さむいから閉しめて); causal て only presents the cause and takes none of those — ×寒さむくて閉しめて cannot be a reason.

  • ので

    ので names the causal link explicitly and survives in written explanation and formal apology alike; causal て leaves the link unnamed and needs the second clause to supply it, which is why て is normal before a feeling word and thin before a bare statement of fact.

Opposite

  • なくてpositive-vs-negative-cause

    The same causal link on opposite polarities — 間まに合あって安心あんしんした against 間まに合あわなくて焦あせった; なくて is the only negative shape available here, because ないで states a manner and never a cause.

Lookalikes

  • て

    The identical surface splits on what follows it — a further willed action reads as sequence (会あって話はなした), while an emotion, an evaluation or an uncontrollable result reads as cause (会あえて嬉うれしい); it is the second clause that decides, which is why learners take causal て for plain listing.