# ては
## Japanese
### Alternative forms

* では (de wa)

### Etymology

Compound of particle て (te, conjunctive particle) and は (wa, topic particle).

### Conjunction

ては • (te wa)
* undesirable assumption: if
    Synonym: たら (tara)
    怪(け)我(が)人(にん)が出(で)ては折(せっ)角(かく)の祭(まつ)りも台(だい)無(な)しだ。
       Keganin ga dete wa sekkaku no matsuri mo dainashi da.
       If people get injured, our long-awaited festival will become ruined.
    そのキノコを食(た)べてはいけない。
       Sono kinoko o tabete wa ikenai.
       Don't eat that mushroom.
** c. 1001–1014, Murasaki Shikibu, Genji Monogatari (Aoi)
    朝(あさ)夕(ゆふ)の光(ひかり)失(うしな)ひては、いかでか世(よ)にながらふべからむ
       Asa yū no hikari ushinaite wa, ika de ka yo ni nagarau bekaramu
       If I lost the light of morning and evening, how can I live anymore?
* indicates a reason for causing strong emotions such as refutation and impression
    Synonyms: たら (tara), たなら (ta nara)
    そこまで悪(わる)口(くち)を言(い)われてはこちらとしても怒(いか)り心頭(しんとう)だ。
       Soko made warukuchi o iwarete wa kochira toshite mo ikarishintō da.
       Since you said me so badly, as for me too, you deserve my rage.
** c. 759, Man’yōshū, book 15, poem 3591:
    妹(いも)等安里之(とありし)　時(とき)者安礼杼毛(はあれども)　和可礼(わかれ)弖波(ては)　許呂母弖佐牟伎(ころもでさむき)　母能尓曽安里家流(ものにぞありける) [Man'yōgana]
    妹(いも)とありし　時(とき)はあれども　別(わか)れては　衣(ころも)手(で)寒(さむ)き　ものにぞありける [Modern spelling]
* presupposition by the things already done: since
    Synonym: たら (tara)
    これほどまでに非(ひ)常(じょう)識(しき)な男(おとこ)が上(じょう)司(し)をしていては、部(ぶ)下(か)の方(ほう)も相(そう)当(とう)なアホに違(ちが)いない。
       Korehodo made ni hijōshiki na otoko ga jōshi o shiteite wa, buka no hō mo sōtō na aho ni chigainai.
       Since such an insane man is being a boss, also his subordinates must be considerable simpletons.
** c. 1332, Yoshida Kenkō, Tsurezuregusa
    いでや、この世(よ)に生(う)まれては、願(ねが)はしかるべきことこそ多(おほ)かめれ。
       Ideya, kono yo ni umarete wa, negawashikaru beki koto koso ōka mere.
       Now, since being born in the present world, there would be many desires to have.
* two actions or effects repeated in pairs: whenever, and
    寄(よ)せては返(かえ)す波(なみ)の音(おと)
       yosete wa kaesu nami no oto
       sound of the waves to break on the shore and retreat
** late 9th century, Ise Monogatari
    起(お)きもせず　寝(ね)もせで夜(よる)を　明(あ)かしては　春(はる)のものとて　ながめ暮(く)らしつ
       Oki mo sezu ne mo se de yoru o akashite wa haru no mono tote nagame kurashi tsu
       Spent the nights without being awake nor sleeping, spent the days with looking at those [long rains] as the things of the spring.
** 1925, Motojirō Kajii, Lemon‎:
    私(わたし)は幼(おさな)い時(とき)よくそれを口(くち)に入(い)れては父(ふ)母(ぼ)に叱(しか)られたものだが、 […]
       watashi wa osanai toki yoku sore o kuchi ni irete wa fubo ni shikarareta mono da ga, […]
       I was often scolded by my parents whenever I put it in my mouth, but […]
* proposal, euphemical imperative: what about, why not
    Synonyms: たら (tara), ば (ba)
    その仕(し)事(ごと)、辞(や)めてはどうか。
       Sono shigoto, yamete wa dōka.
       How about quit your job?
* used at an action not to be confident or can not expect a good result
    来(き)てはいましたが会(あ)いませんでした。
       Kite wa imashita ga aimasen deshita.
       I had come there, but did not meet them.
** c. 960 CE – 965 CE, Taira no Sadafumi, Heichū Monogatari
    え気(け)色(しき)ばみては言(い)はで
       E keshikibamite wa iwade
       He couldn't say with displaying his affection clearly, and—

#### Usage notes

Attaches to verbs and adjectives in the same way as て (-te).

#### Derived terms

* ちゃ (cha)

#### Proverbs

* 急(せ)いては事(こと)を仕(し)損(そん)じる (seite wa koto o shisonjiru, “haste makes waste”)
* 老(お)いては子(こ)に従(したが)え (oite wa ko ni shitagae, “parents should be guided by their children when they grow old”)