Grammar Info

N3 Lesson 5: 14/21

(こと)から

From the fact that

Structure Legend

Structure

Verb + ことから
[い]Adjective + ことから
[な]Adjective + + ことから
Noun + + ことから

Details

  • Register

    Standard

  • 使用域

    一般

About ことから

In order to come to a logical conclusion about something in Japanese, sometimes strong expressions like ことから will be used. This is a combination of the noun こと, and the case marking particle から. ことから literally means 'from that which is (A), (B)', but is generally simply translated as 'from the fact that (A), (B)'.
ことから may be connected to the end of any phrase, so long as the word before it is in its attributive form.
  • こんな(はや)時間(じかん)(つま)()ていることから今日(きょう)色々(いろいろ)大変(たいへん)だった()づいた。
    From the fact that my wife is sleeping at such an early time, I noticed that she was busy with many things today.
  • (いえ)家具(かぐ)全部(ぜんぶ)(あたら)しいことから(かれ)ここ()()してきたばかり()かった。
    From the fact that all his furniture is new, I realized that he has just moved here.
  • 子供(こども)(しず)かなことから(なに)(わるい)いことている()かった。
    From the fact that my kids were quiet, I knew that they were doing something bad.
  • これらのことからイベント中止(ちゅうし)することに()めました。
    From these facts, we have decided to cancel the event.
Caution
There is a difference between ことから 'from the fact that' and ことだから 'because'. In ことだから, から is a conjunction particle that links the (A) and (B) parts of a sentence. However, in ことから, から is a case marking particle, meaning that it is highlighting the subject.
  • コーヒー(つめ)たいことから、コーヒー()れられた結構(けっこう)(まえ)()かる。
    From the fact that the coffee is cold, you can tell that it was poured quite a while ago.
  • コーヒー(つめ)たいことだから、コーヒー()れられた結構(けっこう)(まえ)()かる。
    Since the coffee is cold, you can tell that it was poured quite a while ago.

Examples

  • いい先生(せんせい)から数学(すうがく)(まな)んだことから(わたし)数学(すうがく)先生(せんせい)になりたい。

    From the fact that I learned math from a good teacher, I too want to be a math teacher.

  • 野球(やきゅう)とても上手(じょうず)ことから将来(しょうらい)有名(ゆうめい)になりそうだ。

    From the fact that he is really good at baseball, it seems like he will be famous one day.

  • フィルが一生懸命(いっしょうけんめい)文法(ぶんぽう)勉強(べんきょう)(はじ)めたことから(かれ)日本語(にほんご)能力(のうりょく)(たか)めようと(おも)っていることに()がついた。

    From the fact that Phil began intensely studying grammar, I realized that he was set on improving his Japanese language ability.

  • この(しろ)城壁(じょうへき)(しろ)(とり)(つばさ)のように()えることから白鳥(しらとり)(じょう)()ばれるようになった。

    From the fact that this castle's walls look like a white bird's wings, it has come to be called 'white bird castle'.

  • この(くつ)(ある)いてもあまり(おと)がしないことから英語(えいご)でスニーカーと()ばれている。「トゥ スニーク」というのは日本語(にほんご)(しの)()るということです。

    From the fact that these shoes produce little sound, they are called 'sneakers' in english. 'To sneak' is 'しのびよる' in Japanese.

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ことから – Grammar Discussion

Most Recent Replies (2 in total)

  • Johnathan-Weir

    Johnathan-Weir

    About 3 years ago

    According to this video

    This grammar is somewhat stiff. Should the 硬 symbol be added to it?

  • Daru

    Daru

    About 1 year ago

    硬 is mostly used when it’s academic grammar, or stuff you would only find in literature or really old stuff. ことから can be found in spoken Japanese, where you never find 硬 grammar.

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