kể từ khi

Ever Since

Level 4

Emphasizes the exact starting point of an action or state that continues unbroken up to the present.

How It Works

The pattern kể từ khi (and its synonyms kể từ lúc and kể từ ngày) translates to 'ever since' and is a highly common, slightly formal yet everyday expression. Note that while khi (when) and lúc (moment/time) are universal, ngày literally means 'day' and is usually reserved for specific, significant life events or literal days (e.g., kể từ ngày cưới - ever since the wedding day).

While từ khi simply means 'since', adding the word kể makes the phrase more emphatic. It draws attention to the duration of time that has passed and often implies that a significant change occurred at that starting point. The word kể is often dropped, resulting in the simpler forms từ khi, từ lúc, or từ hồi, which are standard, grammatically complete conjunctions used heavily in both everyday speech and formal writing. Note that hồi can refer to a distant past period (e.g., từ hồi còn nhỏ - since I was little) but is also perfectly natural for recent moments (e.g., từ hồi sáng - since this morning).

Key Rules for Usage:

  • Attaches to clauses or events: Because it contains khi (when), lúc, or ngày, it must precede an action, event, or a full Subject + Verb clause (e.g., kể từ khi tốt nghiệp - ever since graduating).
  • Not for static dates: Using this pattern directly before a static year or time noun sounds unnatural or like a direct translation from English. For dates, you should drop the khi and just use kể từ or simply từ (e.g., kể từ năm 2020 or từ năm 2020). However, kể từ khi CAN be used before a time noun if that noun is acting as the subject of a clause (e.g., kể từ khi năm học bắt đầu - ever since the school year started).
  • Subject omission: If the subject of the kể từ khi clause is the same as the main clause, it is usually dropped to sound more natural (e.g., kể từ khi đến đây, tôi... instead of kể từ khi tôi đến đây, tôi...).
  • Flexible placement: The kể từ khi clause can be placed at the very beginning of the sentence or in the middle, depending on what you want to emphasize.

Common Pairings and Variations:

  • Since then: To say 'since then', drop the khi and use đó to form kể từ đó. You can also add trở đi (onwards) to emphasize continuous action into the future (e.g., kể từ đó trở đi).
  • From now on: To say 'from now on', use kể từ nay or kể từ bây giờ.
  • Until now: This pattern is frequently paired with cho đến nay to emphasize the ongoing nature of the action: kể từ khi... cho đến nay (ever since... until now) (e.g., Kể từ khi tốt nghiệp, anh ấy làm việc ở đây cho đến nay).

The 'Present Perfect' Myth:
English speakers often assume they need complex grammar to translate the Present Perfect tense triggered by 'ever since' (e.g., 'I have lived here ever since...'). Vietnamese does not have a strict Present Perfect tense. The phrase kể từ khi already establishes the continuous timeframe, so the main clause often just uses simple verbs, state adjectives, or basic markers like đã (past) or vẫn (still) without needing special grammatical gymnastics. However, the main clause must describe an action or state that continues up to the present; it cannot be an isolated, completed past event.

Examples (4)

  1. Kể từ khi tôi chuyển đến đây, cuộc sống thật yên bình.

    Ever since I moved here, life has been peaceful.

    Word by Word: Count from when I move arrive here, life truly peaceful.

    Demonstrates the pattern attaching to a full subject-verb clause, followed by a simple state adjective in the main clause.

  2. Anh ấy đã thay đổi rất nhiều kể từ khi trở về từ nước ngoài.

    He has changed a lot ever since he returned from abroad.

    Word by Word: He past change very much count from when return from country outside.

    Shows how the pattern implies a significant change occurred at the starting point.

  3. Tôi đã yêu thích nhiếp ảnh kể từ khi có chiếc máy ảnh đầu tiên.

    I've loved photography ever since I got my first camera.

    Word by Word: I past love like photography count from when have classifier camera first.

    Notice how Vietnamese uses the simple past marker 'đã' rather than a complex perfect tense to express the ongoing state.

  4. Kể từ khi tốt nghiệp, cô ấy vẫn làm việc ở công ty này.

    Ever since graduating, she has still been working at this company.

    Word by Word: Count from when graduate, she still do work at company this.

    The pattern can attach directly to a verb phrase/event like 'tốt nghiệp' (graduating). The marker 'vẫn' (still) naturally emphasizes the unbroken continuation.

Common Mistakes

  • Dropping 'khi' before a clause (translating 'since I...' word-for-word).

    Kể từ tôi đến Việt Nam, tôi ăn phở mỗi ngày.
    Kể từ khi tôi đến Việt Nam, tôi ăn phở mỗi ngày.

    You must include 'khi' (when) to introduce a subject-verb clause. 'Kể từ' alone cannot attach directly to a pronoun or clause.

  • Using 'kể từ khi' with a static time noun or date.

    Kể từ khi năm 2020, tôi làm việc ở nhà.
    Kể từ năm 2020, tôi làm việc ở nhà.

    Because 'khi' means 'when', it requires an event or action. For static dates or years, you must drop 'khi' and just use 'kể từ'.

How It Connects

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

kể từ khiLevel 4Ever Since

Learn This First

To understand 'kể từ khi' (ever since), you first need to be comfortable with the basic temporal marker 'khi' (when) and the preposition 'từ' (from), which establishes a starting point. This pattern combines these concepts to mark a specific event in the past as the beginning of a continuous duration.

Words in This Pattern

kể từ