〜し "and (moreover) / and what's more"
shi
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Meaning
Lists multiple reasons or qualities, implying "and there are others too".
〜し lists reasons or qualities and hints that there are more: この店は安いし、おいしいし、よく来ます = it's cheap, it's tasty (and so on), so I come often. Each item ends in the plain form + し. Nouns and な-adjectives take だし. It feels more persuasive than simply joining with the て-form because it says "and that's not all".
Explaining why you do or don't do something, describing people and places, and making excuses in conversation. Often one し is enough, with the rest implied: 今日は雨だし、家にいよう. Polite forms (〜ますし、〜ですし) are used in formal speech.
Formation
V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
V-plain + し: 安いし, 行くし, 行ったしい-adjective + し: おいしいしな-adjective + だし: 便利だしNoun + だし: 雨だしOften paired with も: 頭もいいし、性格もいい
Visual diagram
- Step 1この店は安いです。おいしいです。よく来ます。three separate sentences
- Step 2この店は安くて、おいしいので、よく来ます。て-form joins them: a plain list of two reasons
- Step 3この店は安いし、おいしいし、よく来ます。し: "cheap, tasty, and more besides", so I come often
Natural examples
この店は安いし、おいしいし、よく来ます。
この みせは やすいし、おいしいし、よく きます。
This place is cheap and tasty, so I come often.
Two し in a row: reasons for coming often.
今日は雨だし、疲れているし、家にいよう。
きょうは あめだし、つかれているし、いえに いよう。
It's raining and I'm tired, so let's stay home.
Noun + だし, verb + し: reasons for staying home.
彼は頭もいいし、性格もいい。
かれは あたまも いいし、せいかくも いい。
He is smart, and he has a good personality too.
も…し、も: piling up good points.
この部屋は駅から近いし、家賃も安いし、気に入っています。
このへやは えきから ちかいし、やちんも やすいし、きにいっています。
This room is close to the station and the rent is cheap, so I like it.
し + も pattern listing merits.
もう遅いし、そろそろ帰ります。
もう おそいし、そろそろ かえります。
It's late already, so I'll be heading home.
A single し softly gives one reason and implies others.
Similar grammar and the difference
〜て / 〜くて (listing)
The て-form joins items neutrally and completely. し implies "and there is more" and often gives reasons.
〜から / 〜ので
から and ので give one reason clearly. し gives several reasons loosely and sounds softer.
とか lists example nouns or actions. し lists reasons or qualities as full clauses. Compare side by side
Common mistakes
- ✗
- 今日は雨し、寒いし、出かけたくない。
- ✓
- 今日は雨だし、寒いし、出かけたくない。
- Why
- Nouns and な-adjectives need だ before し.
- ✗
- 安くし、おいしいし、よく来ます。
- ✓
- 安いし、おいしいし、よく来ます。
- Why
- し follows the full plain form (安い), not the く-form.
- ✗
- 彼は親切し、まじめだ。
- ✓
- 彼は親切だし、まじめだ。
- Why
- 親切 is a な-adjective and takes だし.
One し can end a sentence to leave a reason hanging: 「行かないの？」「うん、お金もないし…」. In polite speech, 〜ですし / 〜ますし are fine: 安いですし、おいしいですし. し lists reasons pointing the same direction; do not use it for contrasting points.
JLPT N4 tips
On the exam
- Sentences with も…も… and a conclusion (だから, から, 〜ましょう) usually need し in the blanks.
- The noun / な-adjective slot is the trap: choose だし, not し or なし.
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜し "and (moreover) / and what's more" mean?
Lists multiple reasons or qualities, implying "and there are others too". 〜し lists reasons or qualities and hints that there are more: この店は安いし、おいしいし、よく来ます = it's cheap, it's tasty (and so on), so I come often. Each item ends in the plain form + し. Nouns and な-adjectives take だし. It feels more persuasive than simply joining with the て-form because it says "and that's not all".
How do you form 〜し "and (moreover) / and what's more"?
V-plain + し: 安いし, 行くし, 行ったし / い-adjective + し: おいしいし / な-adjective + だし: 便利だし / Noun + だし: 雨だし / Often paired with も: 頭もいいし、性格もいい. V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
When is 〜し "and (moreover) / and what's more" used?
Explaining why you do or don't do something, describing people and places, and making excuses in conversation. Often one し is enough, with the rest implied: 今日は雨だし、家にいよう. Polite forms (〜ますし、〜ですし) are used in formal speech.
What is the difference between 〜し "and (moreover) / and what's more" and 〜て / 〜くて (listing)?
The て-form joins items neutrally and completely. し implies "and there is more" and often gives reasons.
What is the difference between 〜し "and (moreover) / and what's more" and 〜から / 〜ので?
から and ので give one reason clearly. し gives several reasons loosely and sounds softer.
What is a common mistake with 〜し "and (moreover) / and what's more"?
Wrong: 今日は雨し、寒いし、出かけたくない。 Right: 今日は雨だし、寒いし、出かけたくない。 Nouns and な-adjectives need だ before し.
Quick check
この町は静か（ ）、自然も多いし、住みやすいです。