Start with a question:
このラーメンはおいしい＿＿、安い。
A. て B. し C. が D. のに
The answer is B. し. "This ramen is delicious and cheap" -- し lists multiple features or reasons in a casual, natural way.
Two Core Uses of し
し has two main functions: simple listing and multiple reasons. The conjugation is the same for both.
Use 1: Simple Listing
Line up two or more features/facts, like "and also":
| Example | Meaning |
|---|---|
| このラーメンはおいしいし、安い。 | This ramen is tasty and cheap. |
| 彼は頭がいいし、スポーツもできる。 | He's smart and good at sports too. |
| 日本語も話せるし、英語も話せる。 | She can speak Japanese and English. |
Use 2: Multiple Reasons
Stack up several reasons to support a conclusion:
-
お金がないし、仕事が忙しいし、今度の旅は行きたくない。 → I don't have money, plus work is busy, so I don't want to go on this trip.
-
雨だし、寒いし、出かけたくない。 → It's raining and cold -- I don't want to go out.
-
あの店は安いし、おいしいし、よく行きます。 → That place is cheap and delicious, so I go often.
When listing reasons, し implies "and there's more I'm not mentioning."
Conjugation Rules
し attaches to the plain form of a sentence (polite form also works):
| Word type | How to attach | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Verb | Plain + し | 食べるし, 行ったし |
| い-adjective | Plain + し | 安いし, 高かったし |
| な-adjective | Stem + だし | 静かだし, 元気だし |
| Noun | Noun + だし | 雨だし, 学生だし |
Past tense works too: 食べたし, 高かったし, 静かだったし.
し vs て (Listing)
| し | て-form listing | |
|---|---|---|
| Tone | Casual listing, hints at more | Objective connection |
| Quantity | Can list many items | Usually 2-3 |
| Focus | Each item stands alone | Implies sequence |
| Example | 安いしおいしいし | 安くておいしい |
し vs から (Reason)
| し | から | |
|---|---|---|
| Number of reasons | Multiple reasons listed | Usually one reason |
| Tone | Casual, hints at more | Clear cause-and-effect |
| Example | 雨だし寒いし... | 雨だから行かない |
Self-Test
Q1. What does 「この部屋は広いし、明るいし、気に入った」 mean?
Show answer
"This room is spacious and bright -- I like it." し lists two selling points (spacious, bright) as reasons for liking it.
Q2. Use し to say: "I don't have time. Plus I'm tired. So I don't want to go."
Show answer
時間がないし、疲れているし、行きたくない。 Two し clauses list the reasons, with the conclusion at the end.
Q3. In 「彼女は優しいし、きれいだし、料理も上手だ」, why doesn't the last clause use し?
Show answer
The last item is the ending -- it doesn't need し to continue the chain. し is used where listing continues; the final item just ends in plain form. Adding し isn't wrong, but omitting it at the end sounds more natural.
Summary
- し = "and also" / "what's more" -- lists features or stacks reasons
- Conjugation: plain form + し (な-adjectives/nouns use だし)
- When listing reasons, し implies "there's even more I haven't mentioned"
- More casual than て, better for multiple reasons than から