Japanese Grammar “Kara” for Explaining Cause and Effect (〜から)

Japanese Grammar “Kara” (〜から) for Explaining Cause and Effect

The Japanese language has many sentence patterns to explain the relationship
between cause and effect. One commonly used pattern is the use of “kara”
(から). In this article, we will discuss how “kara” is used to express the
reason or cause of a statement. Additionally, we will look at some example
sentences to better understand its usage.

What is “Kara”?

In the context of cause and effect, “kara” means “because” or “since.” This
pattern is used to indicate the reason for the statement that follows. The
part placed before “kara” is the reason or cause, while the statement after
“kara” is the result or effect of that reason.

The basic structure is as follows:

[Reason/Cause] + から + [Result/Effect]

For example:

• さむいから ふといものをきます。 (samui kara futoi mono o kimasu): Because it’s cold, I wear thick clothes.

Example Sentences with “Kara”

To help understand this pattern, here are some example sentences with
explanations:

1. さむいから ふといものをきます。
   
   (Samui kara futoi mono o kimasu): Because it’s cold, I wear thick clothes.

2. やくそくがあるから パーティーにいきません。
   
   (Yakusoku ga aru kara paatii ni ikimasen): Because I have an appointment, I won’t go to the party.

3. まだねていないから べんきょうにしゅうちゅうできません。
   
   (Mada nete inai kara benkyou ni shuuchuu dekimasen):
   Because I haven’t slept yet, I can’t focus on studying.

4. あめがふっているから ばしょでうんどうをしない。
   
   (Ame ga futteiru kara basho de undou o shinai): Because it’s raining, I won’t play in the field.

Vocabulary List from Example Sentences

Here is a vocabulary list used in the examples above:

Kanji	Hiragana	Romaji	Meaning
寒い	さむい	samui	cold
混たもの	ふといもの	futoi mono	thick clothes
着ます	きます	kimasu	wear
約束	やくそく	yakusoku	appointment
パーティー	パーティー	paatii	party
行きません	いきません	ikimasen	won’t go
まだ	まだ	mada	not yet
寝ていない	ねていない	nete inai	haven’t slept
勉強	べんきょう	benkyou	study
集中	しゅうちゅう	shuuchuu	focus
雨	あめ	ame	rain
降っている	ふっている	futteiru	falling (rain/snow)
場所	ばしょ	basho	place
運動	うんどう	undou	exercise

Usage Tips

1. Use “kara” with clear and direct reasons. This pattern is very commonly
   used in daily conversations.

2. “Kara” can also be used with verbs, adjectives, and nouns. Make sure the
   sentence structure is correct.

3. This pattern is different from “node” (ので), which also means “because”
   but is more formal. Choose according to the context.

Conclusion

Using “kara” in Japanese sentences is an effective way to explain cause and
effect. By understanding this pattern, you can significantly improve your
communication skills in Japanese. Don’t forget to keep practicing creating new
sentences to get more familiar with it! If you want to learn more about
Japanese, visit online platforms that provide free materials for everyone.

Happy learning and good luck! がんばってください (Ganbatte kudasai).