～てから (after doing)

• Reading: てから
• Romaji: te kara
• Formation: Verb て-form + から + Sentence

Meaning

Indicates that one action takes place after another action is completed. It emphasizes the sequential order, meaning the second action occurs only after the first one finishes.

てから combines the conjunctive て-form of a verb with the particle から to express strict temporal sequence. Unlike あとで, which loosely means 'after,' てから stresses that the first action must be fully completed before the second begins. It can also express the passage of time since an event occurred, as in 日本に来てから三年になる (It has been three years since I came to Japan). It differs from たら, which is conditional rather than purely sequential. てから is natural in both spoken and written Japanese and appears frequently in instructions and narratives.

Examples

1. 手を洗ってからご飯を食べなさい。 Wash your hands before eating.
2. 日本に来てからもう三年になる。 It has already been three years since I came to Japan.
3. よく考えてから返事をします。 I will reply after thinking it over carefully.

Usage Guide

Context: spoken, written, everyday

Tone: instructive

Do Say

• 歯を磨いてからベッドに入る。
• 説明書を読んでから組み立てた。
• 確認してからメールを送ります。

Don't Say

• 宿題をしたから遊びに行った。(した + から sounds like 'because' — use て-form for sequence: してから) → 宿題をしてから遊びに行った。
• ご飯を食べるてから出かけた。(The verb must be in て-form, not dictionary form — 食べてから) → ご飯を食べてから出かけた。

Origin & History

Formed by combining the conjunctive て-form with the temporal particle から, grammaticalized into a sequence marker meaning 'after having done.'

Cultural Context

Generation: All ages

Social background: Universal