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JLPT N5 · Sentence patterns

そして (soshite)

そして — “and / and also”

In short · そして adds more information to what came before: ‘and’, ‘and also’, or ‘and then’. It links sentences, and it can also link adjectives. It sits at the start of a sentence or after the て-form of an adjective.
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Pattern

  • 文１。そして、文２。 Sentence 1. そして, sentence 2 (addition)
  • い形容詞のくて、そして＋形容詞 adjective-くて + そして + adjective (広くて、そして明るい)

Adding information

Use そして to stack up good points or related facts: 今日は晴れです。そして、暖かいです。The two sentences usually point in the same direction (both positive or both negative).

Order of events

そして can also mean ‘and then’ like それから, but it feels more like a story flowing on than a strict time step.

Within one sentence

After joining adjectives with the て-form, そして can reinforce it: 広くて、そして明るい. For a plain list of nouns, use と instead of そして.

Examples

  • この部屋（へや）は広（ひろ）くて、そして明（あか）るいです。

    Kono heya wa hirokute, soshite akarui desu.

    This room is spacious, and it's bright.

    広くて (te-form) then そして + 明るい.

  • 今日（きょう）は晴（は）れです。そして、暖（あたた）かいです。

    Kyō wa hare desu. Soshite, atatakai desu.

    Today is sunny. And it's also warm.

    Two good points in a row.

  • この店（みせ）は安（やす）いです。そして、おいしいです。

    Kono mise wa yasui desu. Soshite, oishii desu.

    This shop is cheap. And also delicious.

    Both facts are positive.

Common mistakes

  • Use そして for sentences and adjectives, not to link plain nouns (パンと牛乳, not パンそして牛乳).
  • Don't use it for contrast. For opposite ideas, use しかし or でも.

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