Mastering から (kara): The Essential Japanese Particle for “From” and “Because”

By /
Mastering から (kara): The Essential Japanese Particle for “From” and “Because”
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

“From” (indicating a starting point in time, space, or source) or “Because/Since” (indicating a reason or cause).

🎯 Primary Function

To denote the origin (spatial, temporal, or source) or to provide a justification/reason.

📋 Grammar Structure

Noun/Time/Place + から (Origin/Starting Point) OR Plain form of Verb + から (Reason)
i-adjective (plain form) + から
な-adjective + だ + から (or です/ます for polite form)
Plain negative form + から

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Used frequently, often in the です/ます forms (e.g., 〜だからです). When expressing reason, ので is sometimes preferred for a softer tone.

😊 Informal Situations

Very common in conversation, often used directly with plain forms (e.g., 寒いから).

✍️ Written Language

Used in all forms of writing, from reports to letters, maintaining its primary functions.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Essential and frequently used in both functions. Can be used to end a sentence to emphatically state the reason.

💡 Common Applications

Indicating a Starting Point (Place)
Marks the place where an action begins or where a distance is measured from.
Example: 家から学校まで遠い。
Indicating a Starting Point (Time)
Marks the time when an event begins. Often paired with まで (made, until).
Example: 明日から旅行に行きます。
Expressing a Reason or Cause
Attaches to the plain form of the preceding clause to introduce the reason for the following state or action.
Example: 忙しいから、パーティーに行きません。
📊
Frequency
Very High
🎚️
Difficulty
Beginner (JLPT N5)
Tag:

Related Kanji

JLPT N5 Kanji List

Related Vocabulary

JLPT N5 Vocabulary List
Example Sentences
Example #1
会社から駅まで歩きます。
Furigana: かいしゃからえきまであるきます。
Romaji: Kaisha kara eki made arukimasu.
English: I will walk from the company to the station.
Example #2
銀行は9時から3時までです。
Furigana: ぎんこうはくじからさんじまでです。
Romaji: Ginkō wa kuji kara sanji made desu.
English: The bank is open from 9 AM until 3 PM.
Example #3
雨が降っているから、傘を持って行きます。
Furigana: あめがふっているから、かさをもっていきます。
Romaji: Ame ga futte iru kara, kasa o motte ikimasu.
English: Since it is raining, I will take an umbrella.
Example #4
Kono hon wa omoshiroi kara, osusume desu.
Furigana: このほんはおもしろいから、おすすめです。
Romaji:
English: This book is interesting, so I recommend it.
Example #5
彼は親切だから、人気があります。
Furigana: かれはしんせつだから、にんきがあります。
Romaji: Kare wa shinsetsu da kara, ninki ga arimasu.
English: He is kind, so he is popular.
Example #6
今日は日曜日だから、学校は休みです。
Furigana: きょうはにちようびだから、がっこうはやすみです。
Romaji: Kyō wa nichiyōbi da kara, gakkō wa yasumi desu.
English: Today is Sunday, so school is closed.
Example #7
先生からメールが来ました。
Furigana: せんせいからメールがきました。
Romaji: Sensei kara mēru ga kimashita.
English: I received an email from the teacher.
Example #8
なぜ遅れたのですか。道が混んでいたからです。
Furigana: なぜおくれたのですか。みちがこんでいたからです。
Romaji: Naze okureta no desu ka. Michi ga konde ita kara desu.
English: Why were you late? Because the road was crowded.
Example #9
これは米から作られています。
Furigana: これはこめからつくられています。
Romaji: Kore wa kome kara tsukurarete imasu.
English: This is made from rice. (Source material)
Example #10
授業は来週からスタートします。
Furigana: じゅぎょうはらいしゅうからスタートします。
Romaji: Jugyō wa raishū kara sutāto shimasu.
English: The class will start from the next week.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Paired with まで (Made)
The starting point function of から is almost always paired with まで (made) to indicate the ending point (“from X to Y”).
Example: 学校は月曜日から金曜日までです。
Function as a sentence connector
The reason clause (ending in から) can stand alone if the resulting action is obvious or implied, but it usually precedes the main clause.
Example: 試験があるから、勉強しなければなりません。
Used with Interrogatives
When asking about the source of something (place, material, information), から is used after the interrogative word (like どこ, ‘where’).
Example: どこから来ましたか。

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ から九時に授業が始まります。
✅ 授業は九時からです。
から must follow the noun/time/clause it modifies. Putting it before the starting point is incorrect.
❌ 疲れてから、寝ます。
✅ 疲れたから、寝ます。
When expressing reason with adjectives and verbs, the plain form (ta-form, te-form, ru-form, etc.) must be used before から.
❌ このプレゼントは友達のですから。
✅ このプレゼントは友達からです。
When referring to the source of a gift or information, the particle の is often unnecessary before から.

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral to slightly direct. When expressing reason, it can sound slightly more emphatic or direct than ので (node), which is considered more polite.
Social Situations: Acceptable in most situations. In highly formal settings, using ので for a reason or simply stating the reason followed by a polite sentence structure is safer than a direct から.
Regional Variations: The usage is standard across regions. However, regional dialects may use different particles or endings for expressing cause/reason.

🔍 Subtle Differences

から (kara) vs. ので (node)
から is more direct, emphatic, and assertive. ので is softer, more neutral, and often used when offering an excuse or when politeness is key, as it suggests the reason rather than asserting it.
When to use: Use から when you want to state a clear, strong reason or command. Use ので when you need to be polite, apologize, or state an objective fact.
から (kara) vs. を (o) for Separation
から focuses on the origin/starting point. While を can sometimes indicate a point of separation (e.g., 家を出る – to leave the house), から strictly marks the source/origin.
When to use: Use から for “from.” Use を for verbs of movement that involve leaving a fixed point.
から (kara) vs. ために (tame ni)
から indicates the *cause* (reason for something happening). ために indicates the *purpose* (the goal of the action).
When to use: Use から to answer “Why?” Use ために to answer “For what purpose?”

📝 Conjugation Notes

When used to express reason, から attaches to the plain form of the preceding word/clause. For Nouns and Na-adjectives, the copula だ must be inserted (Noun/Na-adj + だから). For polite speech, this often becomes Noun/Na-adj + ですから.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

The “ka” is pronounced distinctly. Ensure the emphasis is on the starting noun/clause, followed by a slight pause before the main clause when used for reason.

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of the word “car” (like から, kara) starting a journey. The starting point is marked by から. For reason, remember that you are stating the ‘source’ or ‘origin’ of your action.

Other Grammar

Related Posts

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top