To create the te form from a dictionary form, follow these rules:
- For ru verbs, drop the final るru and add て te.
- For u verbs that end in すsu, change the final syllable to して shite.
- For u verbs that end in くku, change the final syllable to いて ite; for u verbs that end in
- ぐ gu, change the final syllable to いで ide.
- For u verbs that end in う(w)u, る ru, or つ tsu, change these final syllables to って tte.
- For u verbs that end in む mu, ぬ nu, or ぶ bu, change these final syllables to んで nde.
- Keep in mind that the verb いく iku is slightly irregular, and its te form is いって itte.
- The te forms of the irregular verbs する suru and くる kuru are して shite and きて kite.
The following table shows examples of these rules:
| Ending | Dictionary Form | Te Form | |
| Ru verbs | -eる –eru | かえる kaeru (change) | かえて kaete |
| -iる –iru | きるkiru (wear) | きて kite | |
| U verbs | -す –su | はなす hanasu (speak) | はなして hanashite |
| -く –ku | かく kaku (write) | かいて kaite | |
| -く –ku (exception) | いく iku (go) | いって itte | |
| -ぐ –gu | およぐ oyogu (swim) | およいで oyoide | |
| -む –mu | よむ yomu (read) | よんで yonde | |
| -ぬ –nu | しぬ shinu (die) | しんで shinde | |
| -ぶ –bu | とぶ tobu (jump) | とんで tonde | |
| う -(w)u | かう kau (buy) | かって katte | |
| -る –ru | きる kiru (cut) | きって kitte | |
| -つ –tsu | まつ matsu (wait) | まって matte | |
| Irregular verbs | くる kuru (come) | きて kite | |
| する suru (do) | して shite | ||
Reference:
Sato, E., 2014. Complete Japanese Grammar. New York: McGraw-Hill, pp.41-42.