てから
te kara
By Nihongo PathUpdated
Meaning
"after doing ~, …" (one action follows the completion of another).
て-form + から means "after doing ...": 手を洗ってから、食べます "After washing my hands, I eat". The action before てから happens first and finishes; then the main action follows. The final verb carries the tense. With 〜てから + a time span it means "since": 日本に来てから三年になります "It's been three years since I came to Japan".
Describing routines in order, instructions (do A, then B), and how long it has been since something happened.
Formation
V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
V-て + から + second clause
Visual diagram
- 手を洗ってfirst action (て-form)
- からafter that
- ご飯を食べますsecond action (carries tense)
Natural examples
手を洗ってから、ご飯を食べます。
てを あらってから、ごはんを たべます。
I eat after washing my hands.
Wash first, then eat.
仕事が終わってから、映画を見に行きました。
しごとが おわってから、えいがを みに いきました。
After work finished, I went to see a film.
Work finishes first, then the film. Tense on the last verb.
日本に来てから、三年になります。
にほんに きてから、さんねんに なります。
It has been three years since I came to Japan.
"Since": てから + time span.
宿題をしてから、テレビを見ます。
しゅくだいを してから、テレビを みます。
I watch TV after doing my homework.
する → して + から.
薬は、ご飯を食べてから飲んでください。
くすりは、ごはんを たべてから のんでください。
Please take the medicine after eating.
An instruction with てから.
Similar grammar and the difference
The opposite: "before doing", with the dictionary form. Compare side by side
After a full clause から means "because"; after a て-form it means "after". Compare side by side
て alone also lists actions in order; てから stresses that the first one is finished first. Compare side by side
Common mistakes
- ✗
- 手を洗いますから、食べます。(meaning "after")
- ✓
- 手を洗ってから、食べます。
- Why
- ますから means "because I wash"; "after" needs the て-form.
- ✗
- 食べたから、歯を磨きます。(meaning "after eating")
- ✓
- 食べてから、歯を磨きます。
- Why
- たから = "because I ate". Use てから for sequence.
- ✗
- 仕事が終わってから、映画を見に行ってから。
- ✓
- 仕事が終わってから、映画を見に行きました。
- Why
- The sentence must end with a finished verb that carries the tense.
Do not confuse with から meaning "because" (#63), which follows a full clause (寒いから), and から "from" (#17), which follows a noun. The tense of the sentence is set by the final verb, not by the て-form.
JLPT N5 tips
On the exam
- から after the blank with a second action following → て-form. から after 寒い／ない／ます → "because".
- The first verb never shows tense. If the final verb is ました, the whole sequence is past.
Frequently asked questions
What does てから mean?
"after doing ~, …" (one action follows the completion of another). て-form + から means "after doing ...": 手を洗ってから、食べます "After washing my hands, I eat". The action before てから happens first and finishes; then the main action follows. The final verb carries the tense. With 〜てから + a time span it means "since": 日本に来てから三年になります "It's been three years since I came to Japan".
How do you form てから?
V-て + から + second clause. V = verb, N = noun, A = adjective.
When is てから used?
Describing routines in order, instructions (do A, then B), and how long it has been since something happened.
What is the difference between てから and まえに?
The opposite: "before doing", with the dictionary form.
What is the difference between てから and から (because)?
After a full clause から means "because"; after a て-form it means "after".
What is a common mistake with てから?
Wrong: 手を洗いますから、食べます。(meaning "after") Right: 手を洗ってから、食べます。 ますから means "because I wash"; "after" needs the て-form.
Quick check
What goes in ( )? 手を（ ）から、ご飯を 食べます。