Japanese Particle から (Kara): Meanings, Grammar, and Combinations

First, you might be wondering, what are Japanese particles, exactly? Think of them as the grammatical glue that holds Japanese sentences together. The particle から (kara) is one you'll see constantly once you start learning Japanese. I'm going to walk you through all the main uses of から so you can actually understand what's happening when you see it in real Japanese content.

What does kara mean in Japanese

The short answer? から (kara) primarily means "from" in the sense of a starting point. But that definition expands into several distinct uses depending on context.

Spatial starting points: Physical “from”

The most straightforward use of から shows where something starts in physical space. When you want to say you came from somewhere or something extends from a particular location, kara does the job.

Notice in that second sentence how から pairs with まで (made). This combination creates a "from X to Y" range. The particle made means "until" or "to" (As in a destination or endpoint), so kara and made work together beautifully to express complete ranges. You'll see this pairing all the time.

Temporal starting points: “From” in time

Just like から marks spatial starting points, it also handles temporal ones. When you want to express that something begins at a certain time, kara attaches to time expressions.

How to use kara made? When you combine から with まで for time expressions, you get complete time ranges, just like with spatial expressions.

Causal kara: Expressing “because”

Here's where から gets really interesting. When you attach it to the plain form of a verb or adjective, it expresses causation. This version of kara means "because" or "since" and explains reasons for actions or states.

The pattern is straightforward: reason/cause + から + result/action. The から clause comes first, followed by what happens as a result. You can use kara with verbs, い-adjectives, な-adjectives (With だ), and nouns (With だ).

The causal から tends to sound more casual and conversational than its formal counterpart ので (node). You'll hear kara constantly in everyday speech when people explain their reasoning.

Sources and origins: “From someone/Something”

The particle から also marks the source or origin of something you receive. When someone gives you something or you learn information from a source, から indicates where it came from.

Raw materials: “Made from”

When something is made from a material, especially when that material undergoes transformation, から marks the original material.

This usage specifically applies when the original material changes form. The grapes become wine, the wood becomes paper. The particle から emphasizes this transformation from one state to another.

State changes: From X to Y

Building on the materials usage, から appears in expressions showing transformation or change from one state to another.

These sentences show progression or transformation. The starting state gets marked with から, while the resulting state typically gets に (ni), another essential Japanese particle.

Using te-form + から for sequences

You'll also encounter から after the て-form (te-form) of verbs, which creates a sequence meaning "after doing X." This differs slightly from the causal usage.

This construction emphasizes that one action completes before another begins. The verb before から happens first, establishing it as the starting point for what follows.

Common mistakes and nuances when using particle から

Practical tips for mastering から

FAQs

The strategy of studying Japanese particles

The Japanese particle から does serious work in the language. You'll encounter this particle in virtually every Japanese conversation or text you come across. The more you notice it and understand which role it's playing in each sentence, the more natural your own Japanese expression becomes. When you're consuming Japanese media, you will be internalizing more than just kara.

Immersion is your fast track to fluency!