〜ては〜、〜ては〜 (~te wa ~, ~te wa ~) — do ~ then ~, over and over

The same 'A, then B' sequence happening again and again — often tiring, or getting nowhere.

Formula (सूत्र ढाँचा)

Vて + は + Vます [ます]／Vて、 Vて + は + Vます [ます]／Vて、…

Grammar rule (व्याकरण नियम र परिभाषा)

When to use it

You are writing a résumé in Japanese for a job. You write a line, don't like it, erase it; write again, erase again.
That scene is 「書いては消し、書いては消し」.

Meaning

「〜ては〜」shows one 'do A, then B' sequence repeated many times — often with a feeling of 'getting nowhere' or 'worn out'.
The order A→B is fixed and that sequence keeps coming round.
Said only once, as in 「鏡を見てはため息をつく」, it means 'every time I look'.

How to attach

First verb's て-form + 「は」
Then the second verb with ます dropped (消し) or in て-form (寝て)
And the whole thing once more: 食べては寝て、食べては寝て.

Versus what you know

N4「〜たり〜たり」just lists actions with no order.
N3「〜たびに」says 'every time', but does not paint two actions cycling round.
N3Don't mix it up with 「こんなに雪が降っては…」('if it's like this, that's bad') — that has no second verb and no repetition.

Watch out

It only describes things that really happen again and again — never a request or an order (× 書いては消ししてください).

Examples (उदाहरणहरू)

履歴書の志望動機を、書いては消し、書いては消し、やっと完成させた。

りれきしょのしぼうどうきを、かいてはけし、かいてはけし、やっとかんせいさせた。

I wrote and erased, wrote and erased the 'reason for applying' on my résumé, and finally finished it.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 書く = to write → て-form 書いて＋「は」 → 消す = to erase → drop ます: 消し → the same sequence again: 書いては消し → then the result: やっと完成させた (finally finished it).

連休は、食べては寝て、食べては寝ての繰り返しだった。

れんきゅうは、たべてはねて、たべてはねてのくりかえしだった。

The long weekend was nothing but eat and sleep, eat and sleep.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 食べる = to eat → 食べて＋「は」 → 寝る = to sleep → here in the て-form: 寝て → again: 食べては寝て → 「の繰り返しだった」 = this kept repeating.

新しい漢字を覚えては忘れ、覚えては忘れて、なかなか進まない。

あたらしいかんじをおぼえてはわすれ、おぼえてはわすれて、なかなかすすまない。

I learn new kanji and forget them, learn them and forget them — I hardly make any progress.

How it is built (कसरी बन्यो) 覚える = to memorize → 覚えて＋「は」 → 忘れる = to forget → 忘れ → again 覚えては忘れて → then the feeling: なかなか進まない (I'm not getting anywhere).

Knowledge check (मिनी ज्ञान जाँच)

Question: 1/3

「漢字を覚え＿＿忘れ、覚え＿＿忘れの毎日だ。」— fill the blanks.

💡 Hint: An 'A then B' sequence, again and again.