- The difference between から and に.
Both から and に can appear in sentences about movement, time, and relationships between actions, but they point to different parts of the idea.
Table of Contents
から
から means “from” or “starting at.” It marks the origin, source, or starting point.
Examples:
I came from Tokyo.
- 東京から来ました。
I will study from nine o’clock.
- 九時から勉強します。
I received a book from the teacher.
- 先生から本をもらいました。
In these examples, から tells where something begins: a place, a time, or a person who gives something.
に
に often marks the destination, target, time, or indirect object. It answers questions like “to where?”, “at what time?”, or “to whom?”
Examples:
I go to school.
- 学校に行きます。
I wake up at seven o’clock.
- 七時に起きます。
I write a letter to my friend.
- 友だちに手紙を書きます。
Here, に points to the goal, exact time, or person receiving the action.
Comparing them
I go from home to school.
- 家から学校に行きます。
In this sentence, 家から is the starting point and 学校に is the destination.
Another example:
There is a meeting from nine until ten.
- 九時から十時に会議があります。
In everyday Japanese, 九時から十時まで is more natural for “from nine to ten,” but this contrast is still useful: から starts the range, while に points to a specific time or target.
A simple rule to remember:
- Use から for the starting point: from, since, beginning at.
- Use に for the destination, target, or exact time: to, at, for.