Combining Adjectives形容詞の接続
Japanese offers three main ways to combine adjectives: the て-form (くて / で), which is neutral and the most common; し, which lists reasons or qualities with a nuance of "among other things"; and listing with commas in writing. Each method has specific rules for い-adjectives and な-adjectives.
Japanese offers three main ways to combine adjectives: the て-form (くて / で), which is neutral and the most common; し, which lists reasons or qualities with a nuance of "among other things"; and listing with commas in writing. Each method has specific rules for い-adjectives and な-adjectives.
て-form connection: くて / で
The most common way to connect adjectives is the て-form. For い-adjectives, change い to くて: 安い → 安くて. For な-adjectives, add で to the stem: 静か → 静かで. You can chain multiple adjectives: 安くて美味しくて量が多い (cheap, delicious, and generous portions).
Mixed combinations
You can freely mix い and な adjectives: 静かで広くて明るい部屋 (a quiet, spacious, bright room). Each adjective uses its own て-form. The final adjective in the chain does NOT use て-form — it stays in its regular form.
し listing: reasons and emphasis
The particle し lists qualities as reasons, with an implied "and more." It is more emphatic than て-form and often appears with both positive and negative qualities. Pattern: [adj plain form] + し. Examples: このレストランは安いし、美味しいし、最高だ (This restaurant is cheap, and delicious, and — just the best). 静かだし、便利だし、いい場所だ (It’s quiet, and convenient — great location).
Combining with negatives
You can combine negative adjectives too: 高くなくて美味しくない (not expensive and not delicious), or mix: 安くて美味しくない (cheap but not delicious). With し: 高くないし、美味しくないし (it’s not expensive, and it’s not delicious, either).
Three ways to combine adjectives
| Method | い-adjective | な-adjective | Nuance |
|---|---|---|---|
| て-form | 安くて | 静かで | Neutral connection, listing |
| し | 安いし | 静かだし | Listing reasons, implies "among others" |
| が / けど | 安いが / 安いけど | 静かだが / 静かだけど | Contrast: "but" / "although" |
Example sentences
この部屋は広くて明るい。
Kono heya wa hirokute akarui.
This room is spacious and bright.
くて connecting two い-adjectives
この町は静かで安全だ。
Kono machi wa shizuka de anzen da.
This town is quiet and safe.
で connecting two な-adjectives
安くて便利な店が好きだ。
Yasukute benri na mise ga suki da.
I like shops that are cheap and convenient.
くて (い) + な-adj before noun
この映画は面白いし、感動的だし、最高だ。
Kono eiga wa omoshiroi shi, kandouteki da shi, saikou da.
This movie is interesting, moving, and just the best.
し listing with mixed adjective types
高くないけど美味しい。
Takakunai kedo oishii.
It’s not expensive, but it’s delicious.
Negative + けど contrast
Common mistakes
安いくて美味しい
安くて美味しい
Drop い before adding くて. You cannot keep both い and くて.
静かくて安全
静かで安全
な-adjectives use で (not くて) for the connective form.
安いだし美味しいだし
安いし美味しいし
い-adjectives do not use だ before し. Only な-adjectives use だし (静かだし). い-adjectives connect directly: 安いし.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a limit to how many adjectives I can chain with くて/で?
Grammatically no, but stylistically 2-3 is natural. Beyond that, sentences become unwieldy. For longer lists, Japanese speakers often restructure the sentence or use し instead.
What is the difference between くて and し?
くて/で is a neutral, simple connection: A and B. し implies listing reasons, with a nuance of "and what’s more" or "among other things." し also carries more emphasis and is often used when building an argument or expressing opinion.
Can I use て-form to show contrast ("but")?
Not directly. て-form implies a natural continuation, not contrast. For contrast, use けど or が: 高いけど美味しい (expensive but delicious). Using 高くて美味しい would mean "expensive AND delicious" — no contrast implied.
How do you connect 安い and 美味しい?