7 中止形(Chuushikei) ～で～

Grammar

Noun + で
The Noun + で sentence pattern in Japanese is used to connect nouns using the particle で (de) to indicate a continuous action or state. The noun in its 中止形 (しゅうしけい) form (also known as the plain form) is followed by で, connecting it to the rest of the sentence. This construction often indicates that the action or state described by the noun is ongoing or continuous.

Adjectives and verbs can also take the end form. This article teaches the usage of nouns first, and later will gradually cover the usage of adjectives and verbs.

What is 中止形 (Chuushikei)?

The 中止形 (Chuushikei) is, as the name suggests, a form of a sentence where it interrupts midway, used to connect two clauses. The "te-form" for nouns and adjectives is "で" (de). For verbs and adjectives, it is "て" (te), hence it's also called the "te-form." The "te-form" of the copula verb "だ" (da) in plain form is simply changing "だ" to "で."

For example:

学生だ。二十歳だ。(Two separate sentences)
学生で、二十歳だ。(One sentence)

What is continuous narration? Relative narration?

Continuous narration:

In the previous lesson, we learned that "です" is a copula verb, indicating the end of a sentence. In this lesson, "で" is derived from the original "です," and it functions as the te-form of nouns, indicating a temporary interruption in the sentence. When the subject remains the same, we call it "continuous narration," and the subject of the subsequent clause can be omitted.

Let's look at the example "I am a student. I am not a teacher.":

Original sentences: "私は学生です。私は先生ではありません。"
Changed to te-form: "私は学生で、先生ではありません。"

As "私" (I) is the subject and remains the same in both sentences, after the transformation, the subject "私" in the subsequent clause can be omitted.

Relative narration:

If the subjects of the preceding and subsequent clauses are different, both subjects must be indicated. This situation is called "relative narration." Relative narration refers to describing the contents of two different subjects without necessarily comparing them.

Let's use the example "I am a student, and Taro is not a student":

Original sentences: "私は学生です。小田君は学生ではありません。"
Changed to te-form: "私は学生で、小田君は学生ではありません。"

As "私" (I) is the subject and differs between the preceding and subsequent clauses, and the descriptions are also different, the subject of the subsequent clause cannot be omitted after the transformation. Additionally, relative narration can also be called contrastive narration, but it doesn't carry as strong a sense of comparison; rather, it leans towards simple description.

Tense

The te-form does not indicate tense; the tense is determined by the final sentence.

今は学生で ​、二十歳です ​​。Non-past tense
I am currently a student and am twenty years old.

その時は学生で ​、二十歳でした ​。Past tense
I was a student at that time and was twenty years old.

When the tense differs between preceding and subsequent clauses, the te-form is generally not used for connection. However, it can be used if there are time-related expressions in the sentence.

私は主婦です ​。前は ​ 会社員でした ​。
I am a housewife. I used to be a company employee.
私は主婦で ​、前は ​ 会社員でした ​。​
I am a housewife, and I used to be a company employee.

Negative usage

When we want to use a negative sentence followed by the te-form, the pattern is "noun + ではなくて". For example, "私は学生ではなくて ​​、先生です" (I am not a student, I am a teacher). The "ではなくて" (de wa nakute) is derived from "ない" (nai) plus "て" (te), and understanding this transformation involves the grammar of the negative form adjective "ない" (nai). Therefore, detailed instruction will be provided in the section on adjectives.