〜てから: Doing One Thing After Another (N5 Grammar)
The order it lays on the verb
Attached to a verb's て-form, から adds one idea on top of the plain action: this event comes first, and the next one only starts once it is done. So 遊びます on its own is just "play," but 宿題をしてから遊びます pins the play behind the homework — finish X, then Y. The whole point of reaching for 〜てから instead of a bare verb is to make that ordering explicit.
ヤッタンは手を洗ってからご飯を食べます。
ヤッタンは てを あらってから ごはんを たべます。
Yattan washes his hands, and then eats.
てから = do the first thing, then the next.
宿題をしてから遊びましょう。
しゅくだいを してから あそびましょう。
Let's play after we finish our homework.
モチは歯を磨いてから寝ます。
モチは はを みがいてから ねます。
Mochi brushes her teeth, and then goes to sleep.
Which verbs it pairs with
Any verb can take 〜てから — you just need its て-form, then attach から. The first verb stays fixed in て-form no matter the tense; the second verb carries the tense and politeness for the whole sentence.
| Verb (dictionary) | て-form | + から | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 食べる (eat) | 食べて | 食べてから | after eating |
| する (do) | して | してから | after doing |
| 来る (come) | 来て | 来てから | after coming |
| 飲む (drink) | 飲んで | 飲んでから | after drinking |
| 帰る (return) | 帰って | 帰ってから | after returning |
If you need a refresher on building the て-form itself, see the て-form guide.
In use
Because 〜てから marks the first action, the rest of the sentence is simply whatever happens next — and, as the examples show, the past or polite ending lands on that final verb, not on the てから.
先生は教室に来てから電気をつけました。
せんせいは きょうしつに きてから でんきを つけました。
The teacher came into the classroom, and then turned on the lights.
ヤッタンの弟はテレビを見てから宿題をします。
ヤッタンの おとうとは テレビを みてから しゅくだいを します。
Yattan's little brother watches TV, and then does his homework.
Past tense lives on the final verb, here します.
In natural Japanese you usually use only one 〜てから per sentence. Stacking several ("after X, after Y, after Z…") sounds heavy and childish. If you have many steps, link the earlier ones with the plain て-form and save から for the most important "first this, then that."
ヤッタンは起きて、顔を洗ってから出かけます。
ヤッタンは おきて、かおを あらってから でかけます。
Yattan gets up, washes his face, and then heads out.
Earlier steps use plain て; one てから marks the key turning point.
How it differs from its neighbours
Two look-alikes get mixed up with 〜てから, so keep them straight.
〜たあとで also means "after," but it simply locates one event in time relative to another — it does not push the "first do X, then Y" feeling as strongly. 食べたあとで散歩する just says the walk happens in the time after eating. 食べてから散歩する stresses the order: eat first, then walk. For everyday "do this, then that" sequences, 〜てから is the more natural choice; あとで is handy when you only care that one thing came later.
Then there is plain から, which looks identical but means "because." The difference is what comes before it: から after a verb's て-form = "after"; から after a plain sentence = "because." Compare 食べてから ("after eating") with 食べたから ("because I ate"). They are different grammar points — for the reason-giving から, see the から (because) guide.
ヤッタンは勉強してから寝ました。
ヤッタンは べんきょうしてから ねました。
Yattan studied, and then went to sleep.
てから = after / then (sequence).
ヤッタンは疲れたから寝ました。
ヤッタンは つかれたから ねました。
Yattan went to sleep because he was tired.
Plain form + から = because (reason).
The short version
- 〜てから = て-form + から = "do X first, then Y."
- It emphasizes order/sequence, more than 〜たあとで does.
- Tense and politeness go on the last verb, not on the てから.
- Use one てから per sentence; chain other steps with plain て.
- Do not confuse it with から ("because"), which follows a plain form.
Practice it
Choose the sentence that correctly uses 〜てから for a sequence of actions.
＿＿＿に入れるのに最もよいものを選びなさい。
Choose the grammar pattern that best completes the sentence.
ヤッタンは日本に＿＿＿、３年になります。
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜てから mean?
It links two actions in order: do X first, then do Y. Form it with a verb's て-form plus から, as in 手を洗ってから食べる ('wash your hands, then eat').
How is 〜てから different from 〜たあとで?
Both translate as 'after,' but 〜てから stresses the sequence — first X, then Y — while 〜たあとで mainly locates one event in the time after another. For 'do this, then that,' 〜てから feels more natural.
Is the から in 〜てから the same as から for 'because'?
No. て-form + から means 'after' (食べてから = after eating). A plain form + から means 'because' (食べたから = because I ate). Check the form right before から.
Can I use 〜てから more than once in a sentence?
It's best to use just one per sentence. For several steps, connect the earlier ones with the plain て-form and keep a single てから for the main 'first this, then that' point.
Where 〜てから fits
Shaky on this? Get these solid first
- 〜から · N5 — から has two everyday jobs: 'because' (giving a reason) and 'from' (a starting point in time or place). Learn how each works, how it differs from ので, with clear examples.
- 〜てください · N5 — 〜てください is the standard way to politely ask someone to do something ('please do…'). Learn the formation, the negative 〜ないでください, softer variations, and see clear examples.
- The て-form · N5 — The て-form is the gateway to dozens of Japanese grammar patterns. Learn the conjugation rules for every verb group, the famous song trick, and see clear examples.
Don't confuse it with
- 〜あとで · N5 — 〜あとで means 'after' doing something: past-form verb + あとで (ご飯を食べたあとで) or noun + のあとで (授業のあとで). Learn the た-form rule and how it differs from 前に.
- 〜てからでないと · N3 — 〜てからでないと / 〜てからでなければ means 'unless you first do X, you can't do Y.' Learn the formation, the required negative main clause, and how it builds on てから.
- 〜たり〜たり · N5 — 〜たり〜たり lists representative actions ('doing things like A and B'). Learn the formation from the た-form, the する at the end, and how it differs from plain て-form listing.
Once this clicks, go on to
- 〜てからでないと · N3 — 〜てからでないと / 〜てからでなければ means 'unless you first do X, you can't do Y.' Learn the formation, the required negative main clause, and how it builds on てから.
- 〜から · N5 — から has two everyday jobs: 'because' (giving a reason) and 'from' (a starting point in time or place). Learn how each works, how it differs from ので, with clear examples.
More N5 grammar to explore
Keep going with related patterns at the same level:
- 〜ので — 〜ので gives a reason in a soft, polite way ('because…'). Learn how it attaches, how it differs from から, and why it's the safer choice for explanations and excuses.
- 〜し — The particle し links plain-form reasons or qualities with an 'and what's more' nuance: 安いし、おいしい. Learn the formation, the implied-conclusion use, and how it pairs with から.
- 〜ないでください — 〜ないでください is the polite way to ask someone not to do something ('please don't…'). Learn the formation from the ない-form, with examples and how it pairs with 〜てください.
- 〜てはいけない — 〜てはいけない means 'must not / not allowed to.' Learn the て-form formation, the polite てはいけません, casual ちゃいけない/じゃいけない, and the だめ and ならない variants.