Mastering て-Form Endings (補助動詞)
Welcome to your study guide for て-form auxiliary verb endings! In A Level Japanese (9JA0), moving beyond basic sentences means expressing how, why, and for whom an action happens. By attaching specific helping verbs to the て-form (て形), you can instantly show completion, regret, preparation, physical or temporal movement, and giving or receiving favors.
These structures are tested across all three exam papers—from translation tasks in Paper 1 and Paper 2 to essay writing and listening in Paper 3. Mastering these patterns will significantly boost your AO3 mark (manipulating language accurately using a range of structures).
---1. 〜てみる (Trying Something Out)
Grammar Structure: Verb [て-form] + みる (Ichidan verb: みます, みた, みない)
Core Meaning
〜てみる means to "try doing something" as an experiment or test to see what the outcome is like. Think of it as "do X and see what happens".
Example:
日本の小説を読んでみます。
Nihon no shousetsu o yonde mimasu.
(I will try reading a Japanese novel [to see what it is like].)
Important Distinction
Do not confuse 〜てみる with making an earnest effort to achieve something.
• 〜てみる = Doing an action as an experiment to check the result.
• 〜ようとする or 〜ようにする = Making an effort or attempting to accomplish a goal.
Key Takeaway: Use 〜てみる whenever you are testing the waters or experiencing something for the first time.
---2. 〜てしまう (Completion vs. Regret)
Grammar Structure: Verb [て-form] + しまう (Godan verb: しまいます, しまった, しまわない)
The Two Faces of 〜てしまう
Depending on the context, this ending expresses one of two distinct ideas:
1. Complete Action (完遂・完了): Doing something completely to the very end. It often pairs with adverbs like 全部 (zenbu - all) or すっかり (sukkari - completely).
Example: 宿題を全部やってしまいました。(I finished doing all my homework completely.)
2. Regret / Unintended Mistake (後悔・遺憾): Expressing that something unfortunate happened accidentally, outside the speaker's control.
Example: 電車に傘を忘れてしまいました。(Unfortunately, I accidentally left my umbrella on the train.)
Informal & Spoken Contractions
In informal spoken Japanese (which you may encounter in Paper 3 listening texts), 〜てしまう contracts to 〜ちゃう, and 〜でしまう contracts to 〜じゃう.
• 忘れてしまった \(\to\) 忘れちゃった
• 飲んでしまった \(\to\) 飲んじゃった
Exam Caution: In formal essays (Paper 2 literature/film essays and Paper 1 research tasks), never use colloquial contractions like 〜ちゃった. Always use the proper standard plain or polite forms (〜てしまった / 〜てしまいました).
Key Takeaway: 〜てしまう signals either "100% completed" or "Oh no, a mistake happened!"
---3. 〜ておく (Preparation & Leaving States As They Are)
Grammar Structure: Verb [て-form] + おく (Godan verb: おきます, おいた, おかない)
Two Core Meanings
1. Action in Preparation: Doing an action in advance for future convenience or ahead of an upcoming event.
Example: 旅行の前にホテルを予約しておきます。(I will book a hotel in advance before the trip.)
2. Maintaining a State (状態の維持): Leaving something in its current condition for a purpose.
Example: 窓を開けておいてください。(Please leave the window open [as it is].)
Spoken Contraction
In spoken dialogue, 〜ておく often contracts to 〜とく (e.g. 買っておく \(\to\) 買っとく). Keep this in mind for listening comprehension, but write the full form in your essays.
Key Takeaway: 〜ておく is your "plan ahead" grammar point. Think: "doing it now so it is ready for later."
---4. 〜てほしい (Wanting Someone Else to Act)
Grammar Structure: [Target Person] に + Verb [て-form] + ほしい (conjugates like an i-adjective: ほしくない, ほしかった)
Expressing Desires for Others
Use 〜てほしい when you (the speaker) want another person to perform an action. The person you want to do the action is marked with the particle に.
Example:
先生にこの作文を直してほしいです。
Sensei ni kono sakubun o naoshite hoshii desu.
(I want the teacher to correct this essay.)
Crucial Golden Rule: 〜たい vs. 〜てほしい
• Verb Stem + 〜たい: Expresses what YOU want to do yourself (e.g. 私は日本へ行きたい - I want to go to Japan).
• Verb [て-form] + 〜てほしい: Expresses what you want SOMEONE ELSE to do (e.g. あなたに行ってほしい - I want you to go).
Negative Forms
You can make this pattern negative in two ways:
1. Verb [て-form] + ほしくない (I don't want [someone] to do X)
2. Verb [ない-form] + でほしい (I want [someone] not to do X)
Key Takeaway: Never use 〜てほしい for your own actions. Mark the target person with に.
---5. 〜てくる and 〜ていく (Direction and Flow of Time)
Grammar Structure: Verb [て-form] + くる (Irregular: きます, きた) / いく (Godan: いきます, いった)
1. Physical Direction
• 〜てくる: Doing an action and coming towards the speaker, or doing an action and returning.
Example: ちょっとパンを買ってきます。(I'll go buy some bread and come back.)
• 〜ていく: Doing an action and moving away from the speaker.
Example: 鳥が飛んでいきました。(The bird flew away.)
2. Temporal Flow & Process Over Time (Crucial for Essays!)
In A Level analytical writing (e.g. discussing social changes, literary character developments, or historical data), these verbs describe how a situation evolves over time:
• 〜てきた / 〜てくる (Past \(\to\) Present / Emergence): A change that started in the past and has progressed up to the present moment.
Example: 日本語がだんだん分かってきました。(Japanese has gradually come to make sense / I have started to understand.)
Essay Example: 過去十年で、観光客が増加してきた。(Over the past ten years, tourists have increased [up to now].)
• 〜ていく (Present \(\to\) Future / Continuation): A change that will continue to progress from now into the future.
Example: これからも人口が減っていくでしょう。(The population will likely continue to decrease into the future.)
Key Takeaway: Past up to now = 〜てきた. From now into the future = 〜ていく.
---6. 〜てあげる, 〜てもらう, and 〜てくれる (Benefactive Giving & Receiving)
Benefactive auxiliary verbs show who is doing a favor for whom. In Japanese culture, perspective and the flow of benefit are central to polite and natural expression.
A. 〜てあげる (Giving a favor)
Structure: [Giver (Speaker / In-group)] は [Receiver] に Verb [て-form] + あげる
Meaning: The speaker (or someone in their close group) does a favor for someone else.
Example: 妹に日本語を教えてあげました。(I taught Japanese to my younger sister.)
Politeness Note: Because 〜てあげる explicitly highlights that you are doing someone a favor, using it directly to a teacher or social superior sounds condescending. Avoid saying 手伝ってあげます to a teacher; use neutral polite offers like お手伝いしましょうか instead.
B. 〜てくれる (Someone does a favor for ME)
Structure: [Giver] は/が [Speaker / In-group] に Verb [て-form] + くれる
Meaning: Someone else does a favor for the speaker (or the speaker's in-group). The perspective is centered on the person receiving the kindness.
Example: 友だちが本を貸してくれました。(My friend kindly lent me a book.)
Polite equivalent (Giver is superior): 〜てくださる (e.g. 先生が教えてくださった).
C. 〜てもらう (Receiving / getting someone to do a favor)
Structure: [Receiver (Speaker / In-group)] は [Giver] に Verb [て-form] + もらう
Meaning: The speaker receives the benefit of an action from someone else, or gets/has someone do something.
Example: 私は先生に推薦状を書いてもらいました。(I had the teacher write a letter of recommendation for me.)
Polite equivalent (Giver is superior): 〜ていただく (e.g. 先生に直していただいた).
Key Takeaway: With 〜てくれる, the GIVER is the subject (marked with は/が). With 〜てもらう, the RECEIVER is the subject (marked with は/が), and the helper is marked with に.
---7. Common Exam Pitfalls & Examiner Warnings
1. Particle mix-ups with 〜てくれる and 〜てもらう:
• Correct: 田中さんが手伝ってくれた。(Tanaka-san helped me.)
• Correct: 私は田中さんに手伝ってもらった。(I got Tanaka-san to help me.)
• Incorrect: 田中さんに手伝ってくれた (Wrong particle combination!).
2. Misusing 〜たい vs. 〜てほしい:
Remember: 本を読んでほしい means "I want you/someone to read the book." If you mean "I want to read the book myself," you must write 本を読みたい.
3. Misusing 〜ていく for historical trends:
When translating or writing about trends from the past up to today in Paper 1 or Paper 2, use 〜てきた, NOT 〜ていった (e.g. 過去10年間で問題が悪化してきた).
4. Formal essays vs. spoken contractions:
Never write 〜ちゃう, 〜じゃう, or 〜とく in essay papers. Always use the uncontracted standard forms (〜てしまう, 〜ておく).
Quick Summary Checklist
• 〜てみる: Try and see what happens (experiment).
• 〜てしまう: 100% finished OR an unintended mistake/regret.
• 〜ておく: Action in advance (preparation) OR leaving a state as is.
• 〜てほしい: Wanting someone else (target marked with に) to do something.
• 〜てくる / 〜ていく: Coming towards vs. going away; past-to-present change (てきた) vs. future change (ていく).
• 〜てあげる / 〜てくれる / 〜てもらう: Giving and receiving favors (watch who takes は/が and who takes に!).