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「て」 form confusion/clearing up

barabaraboop

後輩
13 Jan 2018
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In Genki 1 (2nd Edition) Lesson 6. It introduces the 「て」 form and a couple of its uses. One of its uses was 'Describing Two Activities'

The example given is:
教科書を忘れて、すみません。

So with an exercise below, the task was to use the 「て」 form, specifically 「~てもいいですか」in certain scenarios.

The question was "You have forgotten your homework. You are sure you can bring it in tomorrow."
So my attempt at it was:
宿題を忘れて、明日持ってきてもいいですか?

But, my problem is, I've heard people using 「忘れた」
So I don't understand what would be the difference if you replaced 「忘れて」with「忘れた」. Do they provide the same meaning or are the two totally different?
 
It's impossible to say it just only with the -te form. Notice that you also learned other forms/expressions in the lesson. You need to explain the reason why you can't turn in your homework today first (and you need to use 忘れた, not 忘れて, in that expression), and then ask if it's OK to bring it tomorrow (you did correctly this part). Try again.
 
It's impossible to say it just only with the -te form. Notice that you also learned other forms/expressions in the lesson. You need to explain the reason why you can't turn in your homework today first (and you need to use 忘れた, not 忘れて, in that expression), and then ask if it's OK to bring it tomorrow (you did correctly this part). Try again.

Thank you very much for your response and clearing up my attempt. I appreciate the help.
So from what I understand, the example given at the beginning with 「教科書を忘れて、すみません。」
the 「忘れて」 can be used in this case because its describing a sequence of events.

And because in my attempt, as you mentioned, since I had to explain the reason I can't turn in my homework, 忘れて would not make sense because it is not a sequencing of events but an explanation.

(I apologize if I'm just repeating your explanation. I just wanted to reassure and clear up any misunderstanding that I may be concerned about)

Is this a correct analogy?
 
The basic function of the -te form is to connect two clauses in the temporal order. However, it can have many functions, for instance, cause/reason of the main clause, the means of the main clause or adversative conjunction. The meaning differs depending on the relation between the two clauses. The key is that the relation must be clear to use the -te form in any cases. The reason why 忘れて can't express the cause/reason of the following clause 明日持ってきてもいいですか is because the relation is unclear. (Incidentally, 宿題を忘れて、明日持ってきてもいいですか sounds like as if you are asking if it's OK tomorrow you will forget your homework and bring it, i.e., the construction of the sentence is [宿題を忘れて、明日持ってきて]もいいですか.)

As for the function of the -te form 忘れて, read more carefully the textbook. It explains In the second example (= 教科書を忘れて、すみません。), the te-form describes the situation for which the apology is made.

Again, you need to use another expression you learned in the lesson to explain the reason.
 


Think of it as roughly analogous to an audible comma.

The て form is sometimes referred to as "contintuitive tense (or form)" as there is always something following afterwards which is connected. Japanese being what it is, though, the following part isn't always necessarily explicitly stated if it may be inferred by context.
 
Thank you both for clearing up the confusion. I actually understand it now a lot better. Thank you again.
 
Can you show us your final answer to the question "You have forgotten your homework. You are sure you can bring it in tomorrow."?
 
Oh, I thought this was already solved. Pardon my misunderstanding.
Wouldn't "You have forgotten your homework. You are sure you can bring it in tomorrow." with the use of 「~てもいいですか」be as followed

宿題を忘れた。明日持ってきてもいいですか?

As for a scenario where I am free to use any expression, I think I would use this to describe the scenario.

明日宿題を持ってきます。今日忘れたから。

Please feel free to correct me over and over until I get this right.
 
You are sure? Or you aren't sure?

Asking a question seems a silly thing to do when one is sure.
 
You are sure? Or you aren't sure?

Asking a question seems a silly thing to do when one is sure.
I do apologize if its rather odd, but I'm quoting it from the book. I can confirm it says 'You are sure you can bring it in tomorrow'
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Oh, I thought this was already solved. Pardon my misunderstanding.
Wouldn't "You have forgotten your homework. You are sure you can bring it in tomorrow." with the use of 「~てもいいですか」be as followed

宿題を忘れた。明日持ってきてもいいですか?

As for a scenario where I am free to use any expression, I think I would use this to describe the scenario.

明日宿題を持ってきます。今日忘れたから。

Please feel free to correct me over and over until I get this right.
Yes, you got it. The only mistake I have to point out is that 忘れた is not polite.
 
Incidentally, non-polite form(= short form) is acceptable for the construction 宿題を忘れたから、明日持ってきてもいいですか. You will learn this in the lesson 9.
 
I do apologize if its rather odd, but I'm quoting it from the book. I can confirm it says 'You are sure you can bring it in tomorrow'
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64a6d108df350031a474483c87a52d3a

Come to think of it, asking if you may bring it in is a perfectly fine way of indicating you can bring it in.
 
Incidentally, non-polite form(= short form) is acceptable for the construction 宿題を忘れたから、明日持ってきてもいいですか. You will learn this in the lesson 9.
I understand. Looking forward to learning more. Thanks again for your help.
 
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