それから

After That

Level 1Sounds Like sorekara

それから is a connector used to show the next step in a sequence ('and then'), to add an extra item to a list ('and also'), or to indicate a period starting from a past event ('since then').

How It Works

それから is one of the most common ways to link ideas in spoken Japanese. It serves four main purposes:1. Temporal Sequence ('And then')
It marks the next event in a series. You use it when one action is finished and you are moving on to the next. It can start a new sentence or follow a verb in the て form (e.g., [Verb-て]、それから...).

2. Addition ('And also')
It is used to add another item to a list or a request, often with the nuance of 'Oh, and one more thing.'

3. Continuation from a Point ('Since then')
It can mean 'ever since that time,' referring back to a previously mentioned event and describing the state that followed it.

4. Conversational Prompt ('And then?')
In dialogue, saying 'それから？' with rising intonation acts as a prompt to encourage the other person to keep talking or tell you what happened next.

Nuance Note:
Unlike そして, which suggests a smooth flow or a close relationship between events, それから emphasizes that the events are separate steps. It is neutral and very common in daily conversation.

Examples (5)

  1. 朝ごはんを食べました。それから、学校へ行きました。

    I ate breakfast. After that, I went to school.

    Word by Word: Breakfast (object) ate. From that, school to went.

    This shows a clear sequence of two separate actions in a morning routine.

  2. コーヒーを一つください。あ、それから、ケーキもお願いします。

    One coffee, please. Oh, and also, a cake please.

    Word by Word: Coffee (object) one give. Ah, from that, cake also request.

    Here, it is used to add an item to an order as an afterthought.

  3. 宿題をして、それから、テレビを見ました。

    I did my homework, and then I watched TV.

    Word by Word: Homework doing, from that, TV (object) watched.

    This example shows how それから can follow the て form of a verb to emphasize the sequence of actions.

  4. 去年、日本へ行きました。それから、一度も行っていません。

    I went to Japan last year. Since then, I haven't gone once.

    Word by Word: Last year, Japan to went. From that, one time even haven't gone.

    In this context, it refers to a state that has continued from a specific point in time until now.

  5. A：昨日、公園へ行きました。 B：それから？ A：友達に会いました。

    A: I went to the park yesterday. B: And then? A: I met a friend.

    Word by Word: A: Yesterday, park to went. B: From that? A: Friend (target) met.

    In conversation, using it as a question prompts the speaker to continue their story.

Common Mistakes

  • Using それから to show cause and effect.

    雨が降りました。それから、試合は中止になりました。
    雨が降りました。それで、試合は中止になりました。

    それから only shows time sequence (one thing after another). To show that the second sentence happened because of the first, use ので or だから.

  • Using それから to connect two adjectives describing the same thing.

    この部屋は広いです。それから、明るいです。
    この部屋は広くて、明るいです。

    それから implies a shift to a new topic or step. To list qualities of the same object, use the て-form of the adjective or そして.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

それからLevel 1After That

Learn This First

To understand 'それから', you need to know the demonstrative 'それ' (that) and the particle 'から' (from). Together, they literally mean 'from that', which functions as a conjunction to describe the next event in a sequence.

Words in This Pattern

それから