JLPT N5Everyday

てからafter doing; and then; since

First one thing, and then the next. てから puts the order in plain view, so it is how you give steps and say what has to wait. It is also "since".

first this, then that

朝あさご飯はんを食たべてから、歯はを磨みがきます。

I brush my teeth after eating breakfast.

since

日本にほんに来きてから、三さん年ねんになります。

It has been three years since I came to Japan.

How to form it

Verb in the て-form + から

食たべる → 食たべてから, 行いく → 行いってから, する → してから. Only a verb comes before it. The last verb of the sentence shows whether it is past, polite or a request.

First this, then that

The half with てから happens first, so the sentence runs in the order things are done. You hear it most in instructions, plans and routines.

手てを洗あらってから、料りょう理りを始はじめてください。

Please wash your hands before you start cooking.

English often turns it around with "before". Japanese keeps the real order.

駅えきで切きっ符ぷを買かってから、電でん車しゃに乗のりました。

I bought a ticket at the station and then boarded the train.

仕し事ごとが終おわってから、買かい物ものに行いきます。

I will go shopping after work ends.

The first half can have its own subject, marked with が.

It is also the natural way to say that something has to come first.

A

もう帰かえりますか。

Are you going home already?

B

いいえ、このメールを書かいてから帰かえります。

No, I'll go once I've written this email.

て or てから?

私わたしはシャワーを浴あびて、寝ねました。

I took a shower and went to bed.

One thing, then another.

私わたしはシャワーを浴あびてから、寝ねました。

After finishing my shower, I went to bed.

The shower came first, and that is the point.

Since

When the second half is a length of time, or something still going on, てから is "since".

大だい学がくを出でてから、ずっとこの会かい社しゃで働はたらいています。

I have worked at this company ever since I finished college.

てから or あとで?

Both are "after", and often either will do. てから lines the two up: first this, then that. あとで says when: at some time after.

ご飯はんを食たべてから、薬くすりを飲のみます。

I eat first, and then take my medicine.

The order: the meal comes first.

ご飯はんを食たべたあとで、薬くすりを飲のみます。

I take my medicine after eating.

The time: at some point after the meal.

"Since" is only てから. Only あとで follows a noun (仕し事ごとのあとで) or stands alone as "later" (あとで電でん話わします).

Not "because"

から after a plain form such as 食たべた is "because". After the て-form it is "after".

昼ひるご飯はんを食たべてから、出でかけます。

I'll go out after I have lunch.

て-form + から: after.

昼ひるご飯はんを食たべたから、おなかがいっぱいです。

I've had lunch, so I'm full.

た-form + から: because.

Close neighbours

あとでN5

"After" as a time, and by itself "later". A verb before it is in the た-form.

仕し事ごとのあとで、友とも達だちと食しょく事じをします。

I will have a meal with a friend after work.

前まえにN5

"Before". It goes on what happens later, and a verb before it is in the dictionary form.

寝ねる前まえに、歯はを磨みがきます。

I brush my teeth before going to bed.

たらN4

"When" or "once": the first thing happening is the cue for the second.

駅えきに着ついたら、電でん話わしてください。

Please call when you arrive at the station.

て-formN5

What てから is built on. Without から it joins actions with a plain "and".

私わたしは家いえに帰かえって、宿しゅく題だいをして、寝ねました。

I went home, did my homework, and went to bed.

Check yourself

1What does this person do first?

宿しゅく題だいをしてから、テレビを見みます。

Choose an answer to see why.

2What does this mean?

結けっ婚こんしてから、ずっと大おお阪さかに住すんでいます。

Choose an answer to see why.

3Which one fits?

授じゅ業ぎょう（　　）、昼ひるご飯はんを食たべましょう。

Choose an answer to see why.

More sentences

今こん晩ばん、夕ゆう食しょくを食たべてから、映えい画がを見みます。

Tonight, I will watch a movie after eating dinner.

説せつ明めいを聞きいてから、質しつ問もんしてください。

Please listen to the explanation before asking questions.

この薬くすりは、食しょく事じをしてから飲のんでください。

Please take this medicine after eating.

電でん気きを消けしてから、部屋へやを出でました。

I turned off the light and then left the room.

パスワードを入にゅう力りょくしてから、ログインボタンを押おしてください。

After entering your password, please press the login button.

Compared with similar forms

When, while, before, after