JLPT N5 Grammar: から (kara) — “From” & “Because” Particle

JLPT N5 Grammar: から (kara)

Q: Can から be used for both time and place?

Yes. ９時から (from 9 o'clock) and 日本から (from Japan) are both correct. から simply marks the starting point.

Q: Must the reason clause always be in plain form?

Yes, with から the reason clause should be in plain form (疲れた, 忙しい). The main clause after the comma can be polite.

Starting point & reason — “from” / “because / so”

JLPTジェイエルピーティー N5エヌゴ文法ぶんぽう助詞じょし「から」解説かいせつ (起点きてん・理由りゆう)

⏱️ Study time: 5–7 minutes

から (kara) is a two‑in‑one particle. It marks a starting point in time or space (“from”), and it also gives a reason at the end of a clause (“because / so”). Mastering から will let you talk about where you come from, when events start, and explain why you do things.

🚀 JLPT N5 Warm-up Quiz

Q: How do you say “I come from Japan” using the starting‑point particle?

Answer: A (日本から来ました). から marks the origin (from Japan). B uses へ (direction towards), C uses に (destination point) — both would mean “I came to Japan”, which is different.

Quick Summary

Grammar Point
から

Function 1
Starting point (“from”)

Function 2
Reason / cause (“because”)

Example
日本にほんから来きました。にほんからきました。Nihon kara kimashita.
I came from Japan.

📝 Core Patterns with から

Starting point (time/place): Noun + から + Predicate

Reason / cause: Clause (plain form) + から、Result clause

Range: Noun + から + Noun + まで (from ~ to ~)

⚠️ When から gives a reason, the result clause can be polite; the reason clause is usually in plain form.

🧠 Need the destination particle? See に (ni) →

💡 Toggle furigana, hiragana, or romaji for easier reading.

What is から?

から is a particle with two distinct functions at the JLPT N5 level:

Starting point: Marks the origin in time or space — “from” (e.g., 日本にほんから = from Japan, 9時くじから = from 9 o’clock).
Reason / cause: Used at the end of a clause to give a reason — “because” or “so” (e.g., 疲つかれたから、寝ねます = I’m tired, so I will sleep).

毎日まいにち9時じから仕事しごとです。まいにちくじからしごとです。Mainichi kuji kara shigoto desu.
Every day work is from 9 o’clock. (starting point)

⚡ Two Main Uses of から

Use	Pattern	Example
Starting point	Noun + から + Verb / です	学校がっこうから帰かえります。がっこうからかえります。Gakkō kara kaerimasu. I return from school.
Reason / cause	Clause (plain) + から、result	寒さむいから、ジャケットを着きます。さむいから、じゃけっとをきます。Samui kara, jaketto o kimasu. Because it's cold, I'll wear a jacket.

Examples & Mini Dialogue

日本にほんから家族かぞくが来きます。にほんからかぞくがきます。Nihon kara kazoku ga kimasu.
My family is coming from Japan.

✅ から indicates the origin of movement.

この電車でんしゃは東京とうきょうから大阪おおさかまで行いきます。このでんしゃはとうきょうからおおさかまでいきます。Kono densha wa Tōkyō kara Ōsaka made ikimasu.
This train goes from Tokyo to Osaka. (から〜まで)

🗣️ Mini Dialogue
A: どうして日本語にほんごを勉強べんきょうしていますか。どうしてにほんごをべんきょうしていますか。Dōshite Nihongo o benkyō shite imasu ka.
B: 日本にほんに行いきたいからです。にほんにいきたいからです。Nihon ni ikitai kara desu.

⚡ から vs まで / ので — Quick Contrast

Particle	Meaning	Example
から (kara)	Starting point / reason	東京とうきょうから来きた (came from Tokyo)
まで (made)	Ending point (“until”)	東京とうきょうまで行いく (go as far as Tokyo)
ので (node)	Reason (softer, more objective)	雨あめなので中止ちゅうしです (It’s cancelled due to rain)

⚠️ Critical JLPT Trap: When giving a reason with から, the reason clause must be in plain form (e.g., 疲つかれたから), not polite. The main clause can be polite.

Common Mistakes (and Fixes)

✕ 明日あしたからに会議かいぎがあります。

✓ 明日あしたから会議かいぎがあります。 (から already marks the start; don’t add に.)

✕ 疲つかれましたから寝ねます。

✓ 疲つかれたから寝ねます。 (Reason clause should be plain form: 疲れた, not 疲れました.)

✕ 東京とうきょうまでから来きました。

✓ 東京とうきょうから来きました。 (まで means “until”; use から alone for origin.)

JLPT N5 Practice Questions

Score: 0 / 3

1. “The class is from 10 o’clock.” Choose the correct particle.

2. “I’m busy, so I won’t go.” Which form is correct?

3. “I came from America.” Select the correct sentence.

🎯 JLPT N5 tip: The から〜まで pattern appears in many listening and reading questions. If you see から, immediately look for a starting point; if followed by a plain‑form clause, it’s a reason. Practice recognising these two patterns early.

Test yourself with a free mock exam →

About the Instructor

Taught by Anup Sensei at Gogaku Language & Training Center in Pokhara. With real Japan experience and a focus on exam essentials, he helps students pass the JLPT with confidence.

Related Grammar

Frequently Asked Questions

Can から be used for both time and place?

Yes. ９時くじから (from 9 o’clock) and 日本にほんから (from Japan) are both correct. から simply marks the starting point.

Must the reason clause always be in plain form?

Yes, with から the reason clause should be in plain form (疲つかれた, 忙いそがしい). The main clause after the comma can be polite.

Is から polite enough for business?

から is perfectly fine in both casual and business settings, but for very formal written reasons ので is often preferred.

Continue Learning

Next: まで (made) — the ending point particle.

Learn まで →

→ Explore the JLPT N5 Grammar Hub

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