から

Used in casual speech, often at the end of a sentence, to add a nuance of 'I'm telling you' or 'you know'. Can soften a statement or add a warning tone. See also いいから.

Usage patterns

〈時とき〉から〈時とき〉までfrom (time) to (time)
九く時じから五ご時じまで働はたらきます。
I work from nine to five.
〈人ひと〉から〈物もの〉をもらうto receive (something) from (someone)
友とも達だちからプレゼントをもらった。
I got a present from my friend.
〈事こと〉から、〈事こと〉because of (reason), (result/decision)
雨あめが降ふっているから、傘かさを持もって行いく。
Because it's raining, I'll take an umbrella.
〈物もの〉は〈物もの〉から作つくる(thing) is made from (material)
ワインはぶどうから作つくる。
Wine is made from grapes.
〈場ば所しょ〉から入はいるto enter through (a place/opening)
泥どろ棒ぼうは窓まどから入はいった。
The thief got in through the window.
〈動どう詞し〉てからafter doing (verb)
食しょく事じをしてから、歯はを磨みがきます。
I brush my teeth after eating.

Grammar

See all 5 grammar points ›

Related words· 13

ので sense 3
Both から and ので give a reason, but ので sounds more formal and objective while から is more subjective and can stand alone at sentence end for emphasis.
し
から states a reason directly and objectively, while し lists reasons more casually and often hints that there are others left unsaid.
もの
から states a reason in a neutral, objective way, while もの adds an emotional or subjective coloring to the same kind of reason.
よりN4
より marks a starting point in more formal or written Japanese, while から is the everyday, casual equivalent meaning 'from'.

Show 9 more

けん
から is the standard Japanese causal particle used nationwide, while けん is a dialectal equivalent heard mainly in western Japan (e.g. Kyushu, Chugoku).
なぜならN3
から attaches directly to the end of a clause to give a reason in casual speech, while 何故なら starts a new sentence and is more formal.
ないしN1
から is the ordinary casual way to mark 'from...to' with numbers or times, while ないし is its stiffer, written equivalent.
ために
から gives a subjective, personal reason, whereas ために presents a cause more objectively and formally.
だってN3
から is a neutral conjunction meaning 'because', while だって's 'because' sense is casual and often self-justifying.
なので
から expresses reason more subjectively and directly and can follow any part of speech, while なので sounds softer and more objective and is limited to nouns/na-adjectives.
て
から explicitly marks the stated reason for an action ('because'), while て implies causality more loosely as a natural, unstated consequence.
からには
から is a plain, general causal conjunction meaning 'because', while からには implies that once a condition is established, a determined or obligatory outcome naturally follows.
以い来らいN3
から is the everyday, spoken way to say 'since/from', while 以来 is more formal and stresses a continuing state up to now.

Opposites

までN5sense 1
から marks the starting point of a range while まで marks its endpoint, and the two are often used together as から〜まで.

Don't confuse with

のです
から explicitly marks a stated reason or cause ('because'), whereas のです adds an explanatory or emphatic tone without necessarily spelling out the reason.
のだ
から explicitly states a reason or cause, while のだ adds explanatory or emphatic nuance to a statement without necessarily giving a reason.

Written forms

からUsage100%
Kana-only particle; no kanji spelling exists.
カラUsage<1%

Etymology

A native particle attested in Old Japanese, marking a point of departure or source. Its causal use is documented from the early modern period; the particle’s deeper origin is disputed.

から

か

ら

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 100

Meanings

particle

from (time, place, quantity); since

Marks a starting point in time, space, or a numerical range. Often paired with まで.

会かい議ぎは10時じから始はじまります。
The meeting starts at 10 o'clock.
ここから駅えきまで歩あるいて5分ふんです。
It's a five-minute walk from here to the station.

particle

from (originator); by

Indicates the source or agent of an action, gift, or communication.

これは友とも達だちからのプレゼントです。
This is a present from a friend.
先せん生せいからアドバイスをもらいました。
I received advice from my teacher.

particle

because; since

Follows verbs and adjectives to give a reason or cause. The clause before から is the reason for what follows.

暑あついから、窓まどを開あけてください。
It's hot, so please open the window.
時じ間かんがないから、急いそぎましょう。
We don't have time, so let's hurry.

particle

out of (constituent, part); made from

Shows the material or components something is made of, or the members of a group.

この机つくえは木きから作つくられています。
This desk is made from wood.
委い員いん会かいは5人にんの専せん門もん家かからなる。
The committee consists of five experts.

particle

through (e.g. window, vestibule)

Marks a point of passage or entry, often with movement verbs.

窓まどから風かぜが入はいってくる。
The wind comes in through the window.
玄げん関かんからどうぞ。
Please come in through the front door.

particle

after; since

Follows the te-form of a verb to indicate that an action has been ongoing since a past event, or that something happens after that event.

日本にほんに来きてから、ずっと忙いそがしい。
I've been busy ever since I came to Japan.
食たべてから出でかけましょう。
Let's go out after we eat.

particle

expresses sympathy or warning

Used in casual speech, often at the end of a sentence, to add a nuance of 'I'm telling you' or 'you know'. Can soften a statement or add a warning tone. See also いいから.

Usage patterns

〈時とき〉から〈時とき〉までfrom (time) to (time)
九く時じから五ご時じまで働はたらきます。
I work from nine to five.
〈人ひと〉から〈物もの〉をもらうto receive (something) from (someone)
友とも達だちからプレゼントをもらった。
I got a present from my friend.
〈事こと〉から、〈事こと〉because of (reason), (result/decision)
雨あめが降ふっているから、傘かさを持もって行いく。
Because it's raining, I'll take an umbrella.
〈物もの〉は〈物もの〉から作つくる(thing) is made from (material)
ワインはぶどうから作つくる。
Wine is made from grapes.
〈場ば所しょ〉から入はいるto enter through (a place/opening)
泥どろ棒ぼうは窓まどから入はいった。
The thief got in through the window.
〈動どう詞し〉てからafter doing (verb)
食しょく事じをしてから、歯はを磨みがきます。
I brush my teeth after eating.

Grammar

See all 5 grammar points ›

Related words· 13

ので sense 3
Both から and ので give a reason, but ので sounds more formal and objective while から is more subjective and can stand alone at sentence end for emphasis.
し
から states a reason directly and objectively, while し lists reasons more casually and often hints that there are others left unsaid.
もの
から states a reason in a neutral, objective way, while もの adds an emotional or subjective coloring to the same kind of reason.
よりN4
より marks a starting point in more formal or written Japanese, while から is the everyday, casual equivalent meaning 'from'.

Show 9 more

けん
から is the standard Japanese causal particle used nationwide, while けん is a dialectal equivalent heard mainly in western Japan (e.g. Kyushu, Chugoku).
なぜならN3
から attaches directly to the end of a clause to give a reason in casual speech, while 何故なら starts a new sentence and is more formal.
ないしN1
から is the ordinary casual way to mark 'from...to' with numbers or times, while ないし is its stiffer, written equivalent.
ために
から gives a subjective, personal reason, whereas ために presents a cause more objectively and formally.
だってN3
から is a neutral conjunction meaning 'because', while だって's 'because' sense is casual and often self-justifying.
なので
から expresses reason more subjectively and directly and can follow any part of speech, while なので sounds softer and more objective and is limited to nouns/na-adjectives.
て
から explicitly marks the stated reason for an action ('because'), while て implies causality more loosely as a natural, unstated consequence.
からには
から is a plain, general causal conjunction meaning 'because', while からには implies that once a condition is established, a determined or obligatory outcome naturally follows.
以い来らいN3
から is the everyday, spoken way to say 'since/from', while 以来 is more formal and stresses a continuing state up to now.

Opposites

までN5sense 1
から marks the starting point of a range while まで marks its endpoint, and the two are often used together as から〜まで.

Don't confuse with

のです
から explicitly marks a stated reason or cause ('because'), whereas のです adds an explanatory or emphatic tone without necessarily spelling out the reason.
のだ
から explicitly states a reason or cause, while のだ adds explanatory or emphatic nuance to a statement without necessarily giving a reason.

Written forms

からUsage100%
Kana-only particle; no kanji spelling exists.
カラUsage<1%

Etymology

A native particle attested in Old Japanese, marking a point of departure or source. Its causal use is documented from the early modern period; the particle’s deeper origin is disputed.