きのう から さけ を のんで いる。
kinou kara sake o nonde iru.
He’s been drinking since yesterday.
Alright, listen up. ~から (~kara) is like your main homie on the block. It’s got three main jobs, but they all got that same core energy. It’s all about where somethin’ starts from.
- Since/Because: This is like sayin’, “Yo, this happened because of that.” It’s the reason, the cause. Think of it like this: you didn’t roll up to the crib because the cops were on your tail. The cops were the reason you bounced. In Japanese, you slap から (kara) right after the reason.
- From: This is straight-up tellin’ us the starting point. Like, “I came from the hood,” or “The money is comin’ from the bank.” It tells us the origin of somethin’.
- From (Time): This is when you’re talkin’ about time. “I been on the hustle since sunrise.” It marks the beginning of a period.
This table shows you how to hook up ~から for its different uses. Pay attention, ’cause this is the blueprint.
| Word Type & Meaning | How It Works | Example (English) | Example (Japanese) |
| Reason/Cause | Verb/ i-Adj. + から | “Because the plan is bad…” | わるい から (warui kara) |
| Noun/na-Adj. + だから | “Because he’s the boss…” | ボス だから (bosu dakara) | |
| Origin (Place) | Noun (Place) + から | “From this building…” | このビル から (kono biru kara) |
| Origin (Time) | Noun (Time) + から | “Since this morning…” | けさ から (kesa kara) |
Alright, check it. The conjugation for から is straight-up simple, but you gotta know the rules of the game. When you’re using it to explain the reason behind somethin’, you gotta remember that little だ (da). It’s like the key to the lock when you’re hookin’ it up with a noun or a な-adjective. You say “ボスだから” (bosu dakara), not “ボスから,” when you mean “because he’s the boss.” That’s the secret handshake.
Now, for its other jobs—talkin’ ’bout where somethin’ started from, whether it’s a place or a time—you don’t need all that. You just slap から right on the end of the noun. It’s clean, it’s simple, and it gets the point across. Like, “ここから” (koko kara) means “from here,” and “今日から” (kyou kara) means “from today.” See how there ain’t no だ? It’s all about context, my dude.
Picture this. から is like a getaway driver. It’s always connectin’ the dots.
- As a reason, it’s the car that takes you from the motive to the crime. The motive, the hustle, the reason you do what you do—that’s the first stop. The action, the result, the consequence—that’s the last stop. The から is the ride in between.
- As a starting point, it’s the car that takes you from the hideout to the street. The hideout? That’s the から. It’s the point of origin, the place you started your mission.
- As a starting time, it’s the car that takes you from the past to the present. The point in time when the clock started ticking on your plan? That’s the から.
Without it, everything’s a mess. With it, the whole operation makes sense.
Alright, peep this. Here’s some new vocab to get your hustle up.
とびおりる (Tobi Oriru)
English: To jump down; to jump off.
This ain’t about takin’ a leap of faith for a good cause. Nah, this is when you gotta bust out fast, no time to think. It’s like when the cops raid the spot and you gotta “tobi oriru” right off the fire escape to make your escape. It’s that adrenaline-fueled move you make when the heat is on and you gotta get out, no matter what.
じんもん (Jinmon)
English: Interrogation.
This word is straight up about gettin’ grilled. It’s when the fuzz pulls you in the back room and starts askin’ questions, tryin’ to make you snitch. They’re lookin’ for weak spots, tryna get you to slip up and give ’em the goods on your whole crew. It’s a mental game, and you gotta stay solid, stay silent.
にんむ (Ninmu)
English: Mission; an assigned task.
This ain’t no everyday chore, fam. This is a special job, a task given by the O.G., the boss, the top dog. It’s what you gotta do to earn your stripes, whether it’s a simple drop-off or a full-on raid. You get your orders, you execute the mission, and you don’t come back until it’s done. Failure ain’t an option.
うそつき (Usotsuki)
English: Liar.
Straight up, this is what you call a snake. A cat who ain’t on the level, who can’t be trusted. They smile in your face and tell you whatever you wanna hear, but behind your back, they’re pullin’ the rug out from under you. Watch your back around these types, ’cause they’ll sell you out for a dime.
しんよう できる (Shinyou Dekiru)
English: Trustworthy; reliable.
This is the realest word on this list. This is what you call a G, a ride-or-die, someone you can count on when the chips are down. They ain’t gonna flake, they ain’t gonna talk loose, and they ain’t gonna fold under pressure. If someone is “shinyou dekiru,” you know you can ride with ’em to the end. That’s family.
Check the flow on these examples.
きんこ から おかね を だした。
kinko kara okane o dashita.
I took the money out from the safe.
かれ は けいむしょ から にげた。
kare wa keimusho kara nigeta.
He escaped from prison.
やね から とびおりろ。
yane kara tobioriro.
Jump down from the roof.
おれ は ここ から でない。
ore wa koko kara denai.
I’m not leaving from here.
いま から じんもん が はじまる。
ima kara jinmon ga hajimaru.
The interrogation starts from now.
あさ から なに も たべてない から、はらへった。
asa kara nani mo tabetenai kara, harahetta.
Since this morning, I haven’t eaten anything, so I’m hungry.
あぶない ばしょ だから、ひとり で いか ないで ください。
abunai basho dakara, hitori de ikanaide kudasai.
Because it’s a dangerous place, please don’t go alone.
あいつ は うそつき だから、しんよう でき ない。
aitsu wa usotsuki dakara, shinyou dekinai.
Because that guy is a liar, I can’t trust him.
じゅう が ある から、しんぱい しないで いい。
juu ga aru kara, shinpai shinaide ii.
Because I have a gun, you don’t need to worry.
にんむ は かんたん だから、すぐ おわる だろう。
ninmu wa kantan dakara, sugu owaru darou.
Because the mission is simple, it’ll probably end soon.
Aight, that’s it for today’s lesson. Stay safe, stay sharp, and keep that grind goin’. Peace out.
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