the japanese particle kara usually marks the elements of a sentence that appear before it. If the element is a noun, the particle kara can take on the meaning of “of, of, of”. And when the element that accompanies the particle kara is an adjective or auxiliary verb, it usually indicates the reason or cause of an action.
Anyway, the particle kara it is always related to the idea of origin or beginning of something. Therefore, I do not advise fixing just one meaning for it, but carrying out the translation according to the context of the sentence in Japanese.
The Japanese particle KARA and the origin of things
Whether with direction of an action or period of time, the particle kara always demonstrates an origin situation, showing where something started from or when it started.
Examples:
銀行は九時から開いています。
ginkou wa kuji kara aite imasu
The bank opens (is opening) at nine o'clock.
木から林檎が落ちてきた。
ki kara ringo ga ochite kita.
the apple fell gives tree.
日本語の授業は、朝九時から始まります。
nihongo no jugyou wa, wing kuji kara hajimarimasu.
Japanese class starts at nine o'clock in the morning.
In some cases, when the particle kara appears after a Japanese verb in the form -you, it indicates that one action has taken place, or takes place, right after another.
Example:
昨日私は仕事が終わってから買い物をしました。
Kinou watashi wa shigoto ga owatte kara kaimono o shimashita
Yesterday I went to the mall after finish the work (right after the work).
When there are tense expressions together with a verb in the form -you and the particle kara, this usually indicates the temporal origin of something, or simply a passage of time from a date and time set by the phrase.
Example:
あの二人が結婚してから二十年だそうです。
year futari ga kekkon shite kara nijuu-nem da sou desu.
Those two are married The twenty years.
KARA particle and the composition of materials
the particle kara can be used to indicate the composition of a material, always using the sense of origin to indicate what it is made of. In these cases, the particle karais usually translated as of, of or of.
Example:
ワインはぶどうから作ります。
wain ha budou kara tsukurimasu.
wine is made in grape.
刃物は鋼鉄から作られます。
hamono wa koutetsu kara tsukuremasu.
cutlery are made in metal.
By indicating the sense of origin, the particle kara can be used to replace the particle in, indicating the sense of composition. Anyway, the particle kara is used in place of the particle in when the result of the composition is not something complex. Furthermore, the raw material used in the composition maintains, or appears to maintain, its initial properties. This usually happens with wood, glass, paper, etc.
In other words, a wooden chair is made of wood, but wood is still wood. Can you understand me? Anyway, as we live with the Japanese language, we perceive this in a better way.
Indicating reason and ratio with the Japanese particle KARA
when the particle kara appears after an abstract noun, adjective, or verb, it can indicate the reason an action has taken place or is taking place. In such cases, the particle kara can be translated as because, by the fact, as, since, considering that, seeing what or any other term with the same meaning.
Example:
お魚が安かったからたくさん買いました。
osakana ga yasukatta kara takusan kaimashita
by the fact to find cheap fish, I bought a lot.
Conclusion
Although some topics are more complex, there is not much difficulty in understanding the general functioning of the Japanese particle kara. Just remember that in general, the particle kara always demonstrates a sense of origin.
またね！