から Posted by Ginny on Feb 22, 2010 in Grammar
から can be used in a variety of situations. One way から is used, is to express when something begins.
昼御飯は午後十二時からはじまります.
(昼御飯 = ひるごはん/lunch. は = topic marking particle. 午後 = ごご/pm. 十二時 = じゅうにじ/12 o’clock. から = from. はじまります = begins)
In English this sentence would mean, “Lunch begins at 12pm”.
から can also be used to express a range of times :
夏休みは六月から九月までです.
(夏 = なつ/summer. 休み = やすみ/vacation. は = topic marking particle. 六月 = ろくがつ/June. から = from. 九月 = くがつ/September. まで= to. です = is.)
Translation: “The summer vacation is from June to September.”
から can also be used to denote place :
長崎から名古屋まで電車で来ました.
(長崎 = Nagasaki. から = from. 名古屋 = Nagoya. まで = to. 電車 = train. で = by. 来ました = came.)
Translation: “I came from Nagasaki to Nagoya be train.
から can also be used to form “because” sentences:
あした仕事があるから、私は早く寝ます.
(あした = tomorrow. 仕事 = しごと/work. が = ga particle. ある = have. から = because. 私 = わたし/I. は = ha particle. 早く= はやく/early. 寝ます/sleep.)
In English, this would mean, “I will sleep early, because I will have work tomorrow.”
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Comments:
Phill:
Although I’ve been receiving emails for this blog since March last year, I’ve never commented.
However, I would like to express my appreciation for the regular and useful posts on this blog.
Although I have only stayed in Japan for a couple of 3-month periods, I found and still find the language a fascination.
Keep it up 🙂