JLPT N5 Grammar: 〜てから (te kara) — “After Doing” (Sequential Actions)

JLPT N5 Grammar: 〜てから (te kara)

Q: What's the difference between てから and たあとで?

Both mean 'after', but てから stresses that the second action depends on the first being fully completed. たあとで is more neutral.

Sequential actions — “after doing ~” / “and then”

JLPTジェイエルピーティー N5エヌゴ文法ぶんぽう〜てから解説かいせつ (順次動作じゅんじどうさ)

⏱️ Study time: 4–6 minutes

〜てから (te kara) means “after doing” and connects two actions in sequence. The action in the てから clause always happens first, and the second clause happens after it is completed. It's one of the most common ways to describe the order of events in Japanese.

🚀 JLPT N5 Warm-up Quiz

Q: How do you say “After I eat breakfast, I go to school”?

Both A and B are correct! A uses てから (after eating), B uses たあとで (after having eaten). C is wrong — 食べるから means "because I eat", not "after I eat".

Quick Summary

Grammar Point
〜てから

Meaning
After doing ~ (strict sequence)

Pattern
Te‑form + から、Action 2

Example
手てを洗あらってから食たべます。てをあらってからたべます。Te o aratte kara tabemasu.
After I wash my hands, I eat.

📝 Core Pattern

Sequential action: Verb (te‑form) + から、Action 2

Emphasis: Action 1 must be completed before Action 2 begins

Polite example: 勉強べんきょうしてから、テレビを見みます。

⚠️ てから always connects two actions in order. The tense of the whole sentence is determined by the final verb.

🧠 Need the te‑form first? See て形 (te‑form) →

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

What is 〜てから?

〜てから attaches to the te‑form of a verb and means "after doing that action". It clearly states that the first action is completed before the second action begins. The から here is the same starting‑point particle used for time and place, but in this pattern it marks the starting point of the second action relative to the first.

Action order is fixed: te‑form clause → second clause.
The tense of the sentence is carried by the final verb (present, past, negative, etc.).
Often used for daily routines, instructions, and procedures.

宿題しゅくだいをしてからゲームをします。しゅくだいをしてからげーむをします。Shukudai o shite kara gēmu o shimasu.
After I do my homework, I play games.

⚡ How to Form 〜てから

Verb	Te‑form	+ から	Meaning
書かく (kaku)	書かいて	書かいてから	after writing
食たべる (taberu)	食たべて	食たべてから	after eating
する (suru)	して	してから	after doing
来くる (kuru)	来きて (kite)	来きてから	after coming

⚠️ Fake ichidan reminder: Verbs like 帰かえる and 入はいる are Group 1. Their te‑forms are 帰かえって and 入はいって. So: 帰かえってから, 入はいってから — not かえてから, はいてから.

Examples & Mini Dialogue

歯はを磨みがいてから寝ねます。はをみがいてからねます。Ha o migaite kara nemasu.
After I brush my teeth, I go to sleep.

✅ Classic daily routine sentence.

仕事しごとが終おわってから飲のみに行いきましょう。しごとがおわってからのみにいきましょう。Shigoto ga owatte kara nomi ni ikimashō.
After work is finished, let's go for a drink.

🗣️ Mini Dialogue
A: いつ買かい物ものに行いきますか。いつかいものにいきますか。Itsu kaimono ni ikimasu ka.
B: 給料きゅうりょうをもらってから行いきます。きゅうりょうをもらってからいきます。Kyūryō o moratte kara ikimasu.

⚡ てから vs たあとで — Both Mean "After"

Pattern	Nuance	Example
〜てから	Emphasises order; action 2 happens only after action 1 is fully complete. Often used for routines, instructions.	手てを洗あらってから食たべる。 I wash my hands, then eat.
〜たあとで	More neutral "after"; simply states the temporal sequence. Can be used with a wider range of verbs.	手てを洗あらったあとで食たべる。 After washing my hands, I eat.

Common Mistakes (and Fixes)

✕ Using dictionary form + から → 食たべるから (means "because I eat").

✓ Use te‑form: 食たべてから (after eating).

✕ Using た form + から → 食たべたから (means "because I ate").

✓ Use te‑form for the "after" meaning: 食たべてから.

✕ 帰かえてから (wrong te‑form).

✓ 帰かえってから (帰る is Group 1).

JLPT N5 Practice Questions

Score: 0 / 3

1. “After I wake up, I drink coffee.” Choose the correct pattern.

2. What does 食べてから mean?

3. 帰かえる (to return) — what is the correct てから form?

🎯 JLPT N5 tip: てから is often tested alongside から (because) and たあとで (after). The key is: te‑form + から = sequential action ("after"), dictionary/た form + から = reason ("because"). Keep this distinction clear and you'll pick up easy points.

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.

⚡ Vocabulary Used in This Lesson

Japanese	Reading	Type	English Meaning
朝あさごはん	あさごはん	Noun	breakfast
食たべる	たべる	Ichidan verb	to eat
学校がっこう	がっこう	Noun	school
手て	て	Noun	hand
洗あらう	あらう	Godan verb	to wash
宿題しゅくだい	しゅくだい	Noun	homework
ゲーム	げーむ	Noun	game
歯は	は	Noun	tooth
磨みがく	みがく	Godan verb	to brush, to polish
寝ねる	ねる	Ichidan verb	to sleep

Related Grammar

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between てから and たあとで?

Both mean "after", but てから stresses that the second action depends on the first being fully completed. たあとで is more neutral and simply states the order. てから is often used for instructions and daily routines.

Can I use てから with nouns or adjectives?

No. てから attaches only to verbs. For nouns and adjectives, use あとで (e.g., 食事しょくじのあとで = after the meal).

Is てから interchangeable with から (because)?

No. てから = sequential action (te‑form). から after dictionary/た form = reason/cause. 食たべてから寝る = after eating, sleep. 食たべたから寝る = because I ate, I sleep. Different meanings.

Continue Learning

Next: たあとで — "after" using the plain past form.

Learn たあとで →

→ Explore the JLPT N5 Grammar Hub

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