ては / では | Grammar

Structure

Repeated / Cyclical Actions

Verb[て] + は + Verb₂、Verb[て] + は + Verb₂
Verb₁[て] + は + Verb₂[て]、Verb₁[て] + は + Verb₂[て]

Negative Condition ("if … then [bad result]")

Verb[て] + は + [negative consequence]
[i-adj 〜い → 〜く] + ては + [negative consequence]
[na-adj] + では + [negative consequence]
[noun] + では + [negative consequence]

General Conditional ("whenever")

Verb[て] + は + [result clause]
[noun] + では + [result clause]

Description

The grammar pattern ては (and its voiced counterpart では) is used to express repeated or consequential actions, negative conditions, or cyclical patterns. It has several distinct usages depending on context.

Repeated / Cyclical Actions: ～ては～、～ては～

When two clauses are connected with ては, it expresses a repeated cycle of actions – "doing A, then doing B, then doing A again…". This conveys the sense of something happening over and over.

、。

I live a life of eating then sleeping, eating then sleeping.

、けし消し。

He kept writing and erasing, writing and erasing.

The pattern often appears as V₁ては V₂、V₁ては V₂ to emphasize the repetitive nature. This usage conveys a sense of monotony, frustration, or simply ongoing habit.

Negative Consequence: ～ては / ～では (if… then it's bad)

ては / では can express a conditional with a negative or undesirable outcome – meaning "if (something happens), then (something bad will result)." The second clause typically states a problem, impossibility, or negative judgment.

、。

If it's this late, we won't make it in time.

。

It's rude to say something like that. (If you say that, it's rude.)

、。

If your body is weak, you can't do this job.

With nouns and な-adjectives, では is used:

、。

If you're a child, you can't watch this movie.

。

If it's inconvenient, that's a problem.

This conditional nuance carries an inherently negative tone – it implies that if the condition is true, the result is problematic. This distinguishes it from neutral conditionals like 〜～たら or 〜～ば.

～てはいけない / ～てはならない

A very common fixed expression using ては is 〜～てはいけない / 〜～てはならない, meaning "must not" or "may not." This is a grammaticalized extension of the negative-consequence meaning.

。

You must not take photos here.

Connection to では

When the verb is in the negative (〜～ない form treated as an い-adjective), or when attaching to nouns and な-adjectives, the form becomes では. The casual contraction of では is じゃ (e.g. こども子供じゃむり無理だ).

Examples

、。

She kept crying and laughing, crying and laughing.

、。

I keep reading and forgetting, reading and forgetting – it's an endless cycle.

、やみ止み。

The rain keeps falling and stopping, falling and stopping.

、。

If it's this hot, we can't exercise outside.

。

If you keep lying, people will stop trusting you.

、だろう。

With these grades, you probably can't get into university.

。

If you're alone, it's too dangerous.

。

If you eat sweets every day, it won't be much of a diet.

。

You must not use your phone during class.

、。

If you rush that much, your mistakes will increase.

、。

He kept falling down and getting back up, challenging himself again and again.

、。

If you're underprepared, you can't produce good results.

References

～てはimabi.org
てはBunpro