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Lesson 36: Reasons with から and どうして

Connect a complete polite reason to a result, ask with どうして, and distinguish reason から from a starting point.

Giving a reason with から

Open chapter 1 and first use the word support directly below. Then read the reason example aloud and point to the reason, から, and result.

1. Complete reason + から + result

In the school pattern, the part before から remains a complete polite clause. 明日、テストがありますから、勉強します therefore keeps あります before から and します in the result.

から attaches directly to the reason. Also check tense on both sides: with 昨日, forms such as ありました and 帰りました fit.

熱がありますから、休みます。

明日、テストがありますから、勉強します。

2. どうして asks for the reason

どうして + result + か asks why that result applies: どうして早く帰りますか. Learn 早く here only as part of the fixed combination 早く帰ります, ‘go home early’. This lesson does not give a general rule for other words. A short answer may give only the reason plus から: 用事がありますから.

Question and answer must concern the same result. どうして asks for a reason; familiar 何で from the transport lesson asks for the means there.

どうして早く帰りますか。

用事がありますから。

3. Reason から or starting-point から

Look at what comes before から. A complete clause such as テストがありますから gives a reason. A clock time or place such as 九時から gives a starting point: ‘from nine o'clock’.

The same form therefore has two functions distinguished by structure and context. Translate only after recognising the preceding part.

4. Apply and check independently

Create a fictional school choice. First formulate the result, ask about it with どうして, then give a short reason ending in から. Finally join both parts.

Check complete endings, fitting tense, and the function of から. No general te-form is needed.

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