Mastering the Power of 「〜し、〜し」

〜し、〜し

If you’re studying for the JLPT—especially N3 and above—you’ve likely faced a frustrating challenge: linking sentences together without sounding like a robot. Simple conjunctions like 「そして」 (and then) or the basic 「〜て」 form are essential, but they often limit your ability to express complex thoughts, list multiple reasons, or justify a decision with nuance.

You want to sound natural. You want to present a balanced argument. You want to communicate that your decision wasn’t based on just one factor, but on a combination of many. That’s where the incredibly useful, yet often underestimated, grammar structure 「〜し、〜し」 comes into play.

This structure is a true game-changer for moving beyond beginner-level Japanese. It allows you to coordinate multiple reasons or facts, often implying that the list isn’t exhaustive and that the accumulation of these points leads to the final judgment or conclusion. Let’s dive deep into this essential connective device and make sure you’re ready to deploy it perfectly on exam day and in real-life conversation.

Before diving into the grammar detail, here is the JLPT N4 complete guide: 
The Ultimate JLPT N4 Complete Guide: Your Gateway to Working and Living in Japan

---

Unlocking Sophisticated Coordination: The Core Function of 「〜し、〜し」

At its heart, 「〜し」 (pronounced “shi”) acts as a coordinator, linking multiple clauses or phrases that share a similar role in the overall sentence. Unlike the simple sequential listing offered by the て-form (which often implies action A happened, then action B happened), the 「〜し」 structure carries two key functions:

1. Listing Non-Exhaustive Reasons or Features (The Accumulation Effect)

When you use 「〜し」, you are signaling to the listener that the points you are listing are relevant reasons, characteristics, or facts that support a final conclusion, decision, or judgment. Crucially, the speaker often implies that there might be *other* reasons that are not explicitly mentioned. This is the “accumulation” effect.

For example, if you say, “I chose this restaurant,” and then list your reasons using 「〜し」, you are providing a cohesive argument rather than just a simple list:

• Reason 1: The food is delicious.
• Reason 2: The atmosphere is good.
• Conclusion: (Therefore) I recommend it.

In Japanese, this sounds much smoother and more persuasive using 「〜し」 than using the simple connective forms.

2. Providing Added Emphasis or Justification

Sometimes, 「〜し」 is used simply to add weight or emphasis to a point, often serving as a justification for an upcoming action or statement. If you are complaining or explaining a failure, using 「〜し」 can make your excuse sound more compelling because you are piling up the obstacles.

For instance, “I couldn’t finish the homework because it was late, and besides that, it was incredibly difficult.” The second 「〜し」 reinforces the difficulty, making the reason for failure stronger.

---

The Mechanics of Usage: Forming the 「〜し」 Structure

The conjugation of 「〜し」 is relatively straightforward, but mastering its attachment to different parts of speech is essential for avoiding common JLPT traps. Remember: 「〜し」 must always attach to the Plain Form (dictionary form) of the preceding word, regardless of whether you end the entire sentence in a polite (です/ます) or plain form.

Verbs (動詞: Dōshi)

Attach 「〜し」 directly to the Plain Form (dictionary form, ta-form, or nai-form).

• Present Affirmative: 辞書形 (Dictionary Form) + し (e.g., 読むし – *yomu shi* / read, and…)
• Past Affirmative: た形 (Ta Form) + し (e.g., 食べたし – *tabeta shi* / ate, and…)
• Negative: ない形 (Nai Form) + し (e.g., 読まないし – *yomanai shi* / don’t read, and…)

Example: 映画を見たし、友達にも会えたし、今日は楽しかった。(I watched a movie, and I also met my friends, so today was fun.)

I-Adjectives (い形容詞: I-Keiyōshi)

Attach 「〜し」 directly to the I-Adjective, keeping the final い.

• Present Affirmative: I-Adjective + し (e.g., 難しいし – *muzukashii shi* / difficult, and…)
• Past Affirmative: Remove い, add かった + し (e.g., 難しかったし – *muzukashikatta shi* / was difficult, and…)

Example: あのカバンはデザインがいいし、値段も高くないし、買おうかな。(That bag has a good design, and the price isn’t high either, so maybe I should buy it.)

Na-Adjectives and Nouns (な形容詞・名詞: Na-Keiyōshi / Meishi)

This is where students often make mistakes. Since the Plain Form connection for Na-Adjectives and Nouns is usually だ, you must use 「だ」 before adding 「し」.

• Present Affirmative: Na-Adjective/Noun Stem + だ + し (e.g., 綺麗だし – *kirei da shi* / beautiful, and…; 学生だし – *gakusei da shi* / student, and…)

Important Note on Noun/Na-Adjective Usage: In very casual conversation, especially when the context is clear, the 「だ」 might be dropped (e.g., 綺麗し), but for formal writing and the JLPT, always use 「だ」 or the negative form 「じゃない」.

Example: 彼女は頭がいいだし、性格も優しいだし、完璧な人だ。(She is intelligent, and her personality is kind, she is a perfect person.)

---

Practical Application: Examples You Can Use Today

To truly grasp 「〜し」, we need to see it in action. These examples are designed to show how the accumulation of reasons leads naturally to a final decision or observation, making your speech much richer.

Example 1: Making a Calculated Decision

Imagine you are explaining why you chose a particular university or job. You didn’t just choose it for one simple reason; you weighed several factors.

この大学を選んだのは、有名な先生がいるし、学費も他の学校より安いし、家から通いやすいし、一番いいと思ったんです。

English Translation: The reason I chose this university is because there are famous professors (among other things), the tuition is cheaper than other schools (among other things), and it’s easy to commute from home, so I thought it was the best choice.

Analysis: Notice the structure. The speaker provides three separate, equally valid reasons (famous teachers, cheap tuition, easy commute). The final phrase, 「一番いいと思ったんです」 (I thought it was the best choice), is the judgment resulting from the accumulation of those three facts. If you had just used 「〜て」 here, it wouldn’t imply the same cause-and-effect justification.

Example 2: Justifying a Frustration or Complaint

「〜し」 is frequently used when complaining or justifying why something difficult happened. By listing multiple negative factors, you strengthen your argument that the situation was truly tough or unavoidable.

今日は雨で道が混んでいるし、上司に急ぎの仕事を頼まれたし、全く休憩できなかったし、本当に疲れた。

English Translation: The roads were congested due to the rain (and that’s a factor), my boss asked me to do urgent work (and that’s another factor), and I couldn’t take a break at all, so I’m truly exhausted.

Analysis: The accumulation of negative events (traffic, urgent work, no break) leads to the justified conclusion of being tired. In casual speech, the final clause (本当に疲れた) might even be omitted if the listener can easily infer the result from the accumulated facts.

Example 3: Describing Accumulated Qualities

Use 「〜し」 when providing a comprehensive review or description of a person, place, or thing, listing several qualities.

昨日見た映画は、ストーリーが面白いし、俳優の演技も素晴らしかったし、音楽も感動的だったし、今年一番の傑作だと思う。

English Translation: The movie I saw yesterday had an interesting storyline (for one thing), the actors’ performances were superb (for another), and the music was moving, so I think it’s the masterpiece of the year.

Analysis: Here, the speaker uses three I-adjectives and a Na-adjective (when attached to 演技). All these positive qualities pile up to support the ultimate positive judgment: it is the “masterpiece of the year” (傑作 / kessaku). This makes the review feel complete and convincing.

---

Navigating the Pitfalls: Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

While 「〜し」 is powerful, learners often misuse it by confusing it with other similar conjunctions. Mastering the subtle difference between these structures is crucial for high JLPT scores.

The Cardinal Rule: Always Use the Plain Form

The number one mistake foreign learners make is mixing polite and plain forms within the coordination structure. Remember that 「〜し」 functions as a connector between clauses, and almost all connecting grammar in Japanese requires the plain form, even if the final verb or copula is polite (です/ます).

Incorrect: 先生がいますですし、学費が安いですし、選びました。

Correct: 先生がいるし、学費が安いし、選びました。(Using plain forms: いる and 安い)

The only time you use です/ます is at the very end of the final clause (if you are maintaining a polite register):

Correct (Polite Ending): 先生がいるし、学費が安いし、一番いいと思います。

H3: Comparison with 「〜て」 (The Connective Form)

Both 「〜し」 and the て-form (e.g., 行って, 食べて) can connect clauses, but their functions are distinct, and mixing them up will confuse native speakers.

Function of 〜て: Sequence and Completeness

The て-form primarily indicates sequence (A happens, then B happens) or means of action (doing B by means of A). It implies that the list is complete and the actions are closely linked in time or causality.

• Example (Sequence): 部屋に入って、電気をつけた。(I entered the room, and then I turned on the light.)
• Example (Means): バスに乗って、学校に行った。(I went to school by riding the bus.)

If you use 「〜し」 in these contexts, it sounds unnatural because you are trying to list reasons for a simple, sequential action.

Function of 〜し: Listing Reasons and Nuance

「〜し」 does not usually imply strict sequence. It emphasizes the *addition* of non-exhaustive reasons or qualities. It often introduces a subtle tone of excuse, justification, or recommendation.

• Key Difference: If you substitute 「〜て」 with 「〜し」 in a list, you change the meaning from a simple sequence of events to a list of justifications.
• Example: 雨が降っているし、今日は出かけたくない。(It’s raining [reason A], so I don’t want to go out.) (This justifies the decision.)

Pro-Tip for JLPT: If the clauses are strong, independent reasons that lead to a judgment, use 「〜し」. If the clauses describe a single continuous action or an inseparable sequence, use 「〜て」.

H3: Comparison with 「〜から」 (The Simple Reason)

Both 「〜し」 and 「〜から」 (kara) are used to express reasons, but 「〜し」 handles multiple reasons, while 「〜から」 is usually dedicated to a single, specific cause.

Function of 〜から: Direct Causality

「〜から」 is a definitive marker of cause and effect. It states “Because A, therefore B.”

• Example: 今日は忙しいから、会議に出られません。(Because I am busy, I cannot attend the meeting.)

Function of 〜し: Layered Justification

While you can use multiple 「〜から」 phrases, it often sounds redundant. 「〜し」 allows you to stack up reasons smoothly. Moreover, when you use 「〜し」, the resulting conclusion is often implied or presented as the speaker’s personal judgment, making the expression softer than the declarative nature of 「〜から」.

• Softening Effect: By listing several reasons using 「〜し」, you are presenting the facts and allowing the conclusion to be drawn naturally, rather than explicitly forcing the causality, as 「〜から」 often does.

Advanced Usage Nuance: In casual Japanese, especially when giving an excuse, one might use a single 「〜し」 clause without a second one, often adding a concluding particle like よ or ね. This single 「〜し」 is extremely common and functions much like a softer 「〜から」, usually when the reason is obvious or slightly defensive.

Example (Single 「〜し」): ごめん、行けないよ。宿題がたくさんあるしね。(Sorry, I can’t go. I have a lot of homework, you know.)

H3: Avoiding Overuse in Formal Writing

While 「〜し」 is versatile, be aware that it primarily belongs to spoken Japanese and written communication that mimics conversation (like informal essays, emails, or reviews). In highly formal academic papers or legal documents, you would likely replace the coordinating function of 「〜し」 with more formal conjunctions like 「また」 (furthermore), 「それに」 (in addition), or structuring the points using numbered lists or bullet points.

For the JLPT, this means that while 「〜し」 is perfect for the listening section and conversation-based exercises, be cautious when using it in extremely formal reading comprehension passages or structured compositions where higher-level formal conjunctions are expected.

---

A Deeper Look: The Role of Tense and Negation with 「〜し」

Understanding how tense and negation interact with 「〜し」 is key to maintaining coherence across multiple clauses.

Maintaining Consistent Tense

Each clause connected by 「〜し」 carries its own tense, meaning you can mix past, present, and future within the same coordination, as long as each clause’s tense is accurately reflected in the verb or adjective form before the 「し」.

Example (Mixed Tense):

昨日は会議に出たし、今日は残業するし、最近ずっと忙しい。

Analysis: The first clause is past tense (出たし – attended), and the second is present/future (するし – will do overtime). Both accumulated facts (past and present commitment) lead to the final conclusion about being busy recently.

Negation and 「〜し」

You can effectively stack negative reasons using the negative plain form (ない形) + し. This is particularly useful when explaining why you *didn’t* choose something or why a certain outcome failed.

Example (Negative List):

このレストランは味が良くないし、店員の態度も親切じゃないし、もう二度と行きたくない。

Analysis: 「良くないし」 (I-Adjective negative) and 「親切じゃないし」 (Na-Adjective negative) both function as reasons why the speaker reached the negative conclusion (never want to go again).

---

Conclusion: Your Next Steps on the JLPT Journey

The grammar point 「〜し、〜し」 is much more than just a way to say “and.” It is an essential tool for expressing complex thought, accumulating reasons, and providing subtle justification in Japanese. By mastering its plain form conjugation and understanding its function as a coordinator of reasons (rather than a simple sequence), you immediately elevate your conversational Japanese and gain crucial points in the JLPT exam.

Key Takeaways for Practice:

1. Always attach 「〜し」 to the **Plain Form** (dictionary form, た form, ない form).
2. Use it when you have **multiple reasons** that lead to a single conclusion or decision.
3. Remember the nuance: it implies the list of reasons is **non-exhaustive** (there might be more).
4. Avoid confusing it with the sequential action implied by the **て-form**.

Start practicing today by reviewing your daily choices. Why did you eat that food? (It was cheap 「安いし」, and I was hungry 「お腹が空いたし」). Why do you like your favorite Japanese drama? (The actors are good 「俳優がいいし」, and the music is great 「音楽も素晴らしいし」). Integrating 「〜し」 into your thought process is the surest path to natural fluency.

頑張ってください (Good luck with your studies)!

IPPO, JLPT training platform is always here to help you to pass the JLPT!!