Learn Japanese Grammar: から作る (kara tsukuru) – Made From/Made Out Of (N4 Grammar)

By /
Japanese Grammar Template
Meaning & Usage

✨ Basic Meaning

Indicates the material or ingredient used to make something.

🎯 Primary Function

To explicitly state the source material or main ingredient of an item.

📋 Grammar Structure

[Material/Ingredient] から 作る (kara tsukuru)

🎭 Usage Contexts

🏢 Formal Situations

Commonly used in descriptions of products, ingredients, or processes (e.g., in factories, recipes, documentaries).

😊 Informal Situations

Used conversationally when talking about food, crafts, or homemade items.

✍️ Written Language

Frequently seen in recipes, product labels, craft instructions, and informational texts.

🗣️ Spoken Language

Used in everyday conversation when discussing the composition of objects or food.

💡 Common Applications

Describing ingredients in food
Used to state what the dish or food item is primarily made from.
Example: このケーキは米粉（こめこ）から作られています。 (Kono kēki wa komeko kara tsukurarete imasu.) – This cake is made from rice flour.
Specifying materials for crafts/products
Used to indicate the raw material used to create an object.
Example: この家具（かぐ）は古（ふる）い木（き）から作られています。 (Kono kagu wa furui ki kara tsukurarete imasu.) – This furniture is made from old wood.
Explaining manufacturing processes
Used to describe the material input for a manufacturing process.
Example: 紙（かみ）は木材（もくざい）から作られます。 (Kami wa mokuzai kara tsukuraremasu.) – Paper is made from wood.
📊
Frequency
Commonly used, especially when the source material is important or being emphasized.
🎚️
Difficulty
N4
Example Sentences
このテーブルは竹（たけ）から作られています。
This table is made from bamboo.
日本酒（にほんしゅ）は米（こめ）から作られます。
Japanese sake is made from rice.
彼女（かのじょ）は野菜（やさい）からおいしいスープを作った。
She made a delicious soup from vegetables.
Notes & Nuances

📌 Important Points

Particle 「から」
「から」 indicates the source or origin. In this pattern, it points to the material from which something is made.
Example: 木（き）から 紙（かみ）を作る。 (Ki kara kami o tsukuru.) – Make paper from wood.
Verb 「作る」 (tsukuru)
「作る」 means “to make” or “to create.” It can be used in its various forms (辞書形, ます形, 受身形, etc.). The passive form 作られる (tsukurareru) is very common with this pattern when the focus is on what is being made, rather than the maker.
Example: この人形（にんぎょう）は布（ぬの）から作られています。 (Kono ningyō wa nuno kara tsukurarete imasu.) – This doll is made from cloth.

⚠️ Common Mistakes

❌ Using 「で」 instead of 「から」 when the material is transformed.
✅ Use 「から」 when the original material is significantly transformed in the process of making the new item. Use 「で」 when the material is used as a tool or the form doesn’t significantly change (though this is a simplification, and there are nuances).
Example Mistake: セメントでビルを作る。 (Semento de biru o tsukuru.) – Building a building with cement. (Cement is a material, but it’s less about the transformation and more about the main component used in the construction process, so 「で」 is often used here, but 「から」 can also be used if emphasizing the raw material source). Correct approach for transformation: 大豆（だいず）から豆腐（とうふ）を作る。 (Daizu kara tōfu o tsukuru.) – Make tofu from soybeans. (Soybeans are transformed into tofu.)
❌ Forgetting to use a particle between the material and 作る.
✅ Always include 「から」 between the material and 作る.
Incorrect: 木 紙を作る。 (Ki kami o tsukuru.) Correct: 木から 紙を作る。 (Ki kara kami o tsukuru.)

🏛️ Cultural Context

Politeness Level: Neutral. The politeness depends on the form of 作る (e.g., 作ります vs 作る) and the overall sentence structure.
Social Situations: Used in various social situations, from explaining ingredients in cooking to describing manufacturing processes.
Regional Variations: No significant regional variations for this specific pattern.

🔍 Subtle Differences

〜から作る vs 〜で作る
から focuses on the source material that undergoes transformation. で can indicate the material used, but sometimes emphasizes the tool or the main component without necessarily highlighting a significant transformation.
When to use: Use から when emphasizing the raw material that is transformed (e.g., soybeans into tofu). Use で when indicating the material something is made of, especially if it retains some original characteristics or is seen more as a building block (though there are overlaps and exceptions).
undefined
undefined
When to use: undefined
undefined
undefined
When to use: undefined

📝 Conjugation Notes

作ることができます (can make from), 作りたい (want to make from), 作らなかった (didn’t make from), 作られる (is made from – passive), etc. The particle 「から」 remains the same regardless of the verb conjugation.

🔊 Pronunciation Tips

Ensure clear pronunciation of 「から」 (kara) and 「つくる」 (tsukuru). The pitch accent for から is typically へいばん (flat). The pitch accent for 作る is typically あたま高 (head-high).

🧠 Memory Tips

Think of “kara” as “coming FROM”. Something is coming FROM the material to be made.

Practice Exercises
このチョコレートは（　　　）から作られています。
砂糖
砂糖と牛乳
砂糖、牛乳、カカオ豆
カカオ豆
チーズは（　　　）から作られます。
水
牛乳
米
野菜

Related Posts

Leave a Comment

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

Scroll to Top