LEARN + JAPANESE / Note 78 JLPT N5
And Then (それから)
それから means “and then,” picking up right where the previous action or item left off. It pairs naturally with a て-form clause to sequence two actions, and works just as well starting a new sentence.
I'll check my email, and then do work.
I arrived in Osaka at 11:30, and then ate lunch.
In Real Life
それから almost always follows a て-form clause, the same connector from How’s the Weather? and And Then, listing two actions with no built-in relationship beyond order. それから just makes that order explicit: this happened, then that happened next.
There's coffee and tea, and also juice.
I ate ramen and sushi, and also yakitori.
In Real Life
それから works on plain noun lists too, not just actions, tacking one more item onto items already joined by と. It reads like an afterthought that isn’t really an afterthought, the speaker planned to mention it, just saved it for last.
Vocabulary
| Japanese | English |
|---|---|
| black tea | |
| to decide | |
| to return, go back | |
| lobby | |
| potato | |
| onion | |
| carrot | |
| lettuce | |
| tomato | |
| grilled chicken skewers | |
| picture postcard | |
| castle | |
| to check in | |
| first, ahead | |
| after that | |
| continuing on | |
| order, sequence | |
| and, and then | |
| lastly | |
| plan, schedule |