Japatan
Formation
- Vて形 + から
Explanation
A てから B means that A is done first and B is done after that. It stresses the order: "first A, then B." It can also mean "ever since A": 日本に 来てから、毎日 日本語を 勉強しています (Since I came to Japan, I have been studying Japanese every day). The tense of the whole sentence is decided by the last verb.
Examples
手を 洗ってから、ごはんを 食べます。
I eat after washing my hands.
宿題を してから、テレビを 見ました。
I watched TV after doing my homework.
切符を 買ってから、電車に 乗ってください。
Please buy a ticket before you get on the train.
日本に 来てから、毎日 日本語を 勉強しています。
Since I came to Japan, I have been studying Japanese every day.
Notes
Do not confuse this with から meaning "because" (〜ますから, 〜ですから): て-form + から shows order, not a reason. てから is normally used only once in a sentence. To list three or more actions in a row, use 〜て、〜て.
Related grammar
Mini quiz
1毎晩 おふろに 入って（ ）、寝ます。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 2 から
"Every night I go to bed after taking a bath." て-form + から means "after doing ~." The particles と, に and を cannot come directly after a て-form.
2A: 今から 買い物に 行きますか。
B: いいえ、昼ごはんを（ ）行きます。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 3 食べてから
A asks "Are you going shopping now?" and B answers "No, I'll go after I eat lunch." The verb before から must be in the て-form. The て-form of 食べます is 食べて, so the answer is 食べてから. Lunch comes first, and shopping comes after it.
3毎朝 朝ごはんを ＿＿ ＿＿ ＿★＿ ＿＿ 行きます。
Answer and explanation
Answer: 4 学校
The correct order is 3→1→4→2: 毎朝 朝ごはんを 食べてから 学校へ 行きます (Every morning I go to school after eating breakfast). 食べて follows 朝ごはんを, から comes right after the て-form, and 学校へ goes before 行きます, so ★ is 学校.
