In addition to the uses shown below, from is used in phrasal verbs such as 'date from' and 'grow away from'.
1. preposition
If something comes from a particular person or thing, or if you get something from them, they give it to you or they are the source of it.
He appealed for information from anyone who saw the attackers.
...an anniversary present from his wife.
The results were taken from six surveys.
The dirt from the fields drifted like snow.
2. preposition
Someone who comes from a particular place lives in that place or originally lived there. Something that comes from a particular place was made in that place.
...an art dealer from Zurich.
Katy Jones is nineteen and comes from Birmingham.
...wines from Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence.
3. preposition
A person from a particular organization works for that organization.
...a representative from the Israeli embassy.
4. preposition
If someone or something moves or is moved from a place, they leave it or are removed, so that they are no longer there.
The guests watched as she fled from the room.
5. preposition
If you take one thing or person from another, you move that thing or person so that they are no longer with the otheror attached to the other.
In many bone transplants, bone can be taken from other parts of the patient's body.
Remove the bowl from the ice and stir in the cream.
6. preposition
If you take something from an amount, you reduce the amount by that much.
The £103 is deducted from Mrs Adams' salary every month.
Three from six leaves three.
7. preposition
From is used in expressions such as away from or absent from to say that someone or something is not present in a place where they are usually found.
Her husband worked away from home a lot.
Jo was absent from the house all the next day.
8. preposition
If you return from a place or an activity, you return after being in that place or doing that activity.
My son Colin has just returned from Amsterdam.
...a group of men travelling home from a darts match.
9. preposition
If you are back from a place or activity, you have left it and have returned to your former place.
Our economics correspondent, James Morgan, is just back from Germany.
One afternoon when I was home from school, he asked me to come to see a movie withhim.
10. preposition
If you see or hear something from a particular place, you are in that place when you see it or hear it.
Visitors see the painting from behind a plate glass window.
Viewed from above, the valleys form the shape of a man.
11. preposition
If something hangs or sticks out from an object, it is attached to it or held by it.
Hanging from his right wrist is a heavy gold bracelet.
...large fans hanging from ceilings.
He saw the corner of a magazine sticking out from under the blanket.
12. preposition
You can use from when giving distances. For example, if a place is fifty miles from another place, the distance between the two places is fifty miles.
The centre of the town is 4 kilometres from the station.
...a small park only a few hundred yards from Zurich's main shopping centre.
How far is it from here?
13. preposition
If a road or railway line goes from one place to another, you can travel along it between the two places.
...the road from St Petersburg to Tallinn.
14. preposition
From is used, especially in the expression made from, to say what substance has been used to make something.
...bread made from white flour.
...a luxurious resort built from the island's native coral stone.
15. preposition
You can use from when you are talking about the beginning of a period of time.
She studied painting from 1926 and also worked as a commercial artist.
Breakfast is available to fishermen from 6 a.m.
From 1922 till 1925 she lived in Prague.
16. preposition
You say from one thing to another when you are stating the range of things that are possible, or when saying that the range of things includes everything in a certain category.
There are 94 countries represented at the Games, from Algeria to Zimbabwe.
Over 150 companies will be there, covering everything from finance to fixtures andfittings.
17. preposition
If something changes from one thing to another, it stops being the first thing and becomes the second thing.
The expression on his face changed from sympathy to surprise.
Unemployment has fallen from 7.5 to 7.2%.
I made a switch from butter to olive oil for much of my cooking.
18. preposition
You use from after some verbs and nouns when mentioning the cause of something.
The problem simply resulted from a difference of opinion.
He is suffering from eye ulcers, brought on by the intense light in Australia.
They really do get pleasure from spending money on other people.
Most of the wreckage from the 1985 quake has been cleared.
19. preposition
You use from when you are giving the reason for an opinion.
She knew from experience that Dave was about to tell her the truth.
He sensed from the expression on her face that she had something to say.
20. preposition
From is used after verbs with meanings such as 'protect', 'free', 'keep', and 'prevent' to introduce the action that does not happen, or that someone does not want to happen.
Such laws could protect the consumer from harmful or dangerous remedies.
300 tons of Peruvian mangoes were kept from entering France.
English Easy Learning GrammarPrepositionsA preposition is one of a small but very common group of words that relate differentitems to each other. Most English prepositions have a number of meanings ... Read more
from in British English
(frɒm, unstressed frəm)
preposition
1.
used to indicate the original location, situation, etc
from Paris to Rome
from behind the bushes
from childhood to adulthood
2.
in a period of time starting at
she lived from 1910 to 1970
3.
used to indicate the distance between two things or places
a hundred miles from here
4.
used to indicate a lower amount
from five to fifty people
5.
showing the model of
painted from life
6.
used with the gerund to mark prohibition, restraint, etc
nothing prevents her from leaving
7.
because of
exhausted from his walk
Word origin
Old English fram; related to Old Norse frā, Old Saxon, Old High German, Gothic fram from, Greek promos foremost
from in American English
(frʌm)
preposition
1.
a.
beginning at (a point of departure as for motion, duration, or action)
leaving from the station
b.
at a certain distance away with respect to
a mile from town
2.
starting with (the first of two named limits)
from noon to midnight
3.
out of; derived or coming out of
he took a comb from his pocket; lava spewed from the volcano
4.
with (a person or thing) as the source, maker, sender, speaker, teacher, etc.
a crate made from wood, a letter from Mary, facts learned from reading
5.
at a place not near to; out of contact with
used to express absence, removal, separation, etc.
away from danger, far from home
6.
out of the whole of; out of unity or alliance with
take two from four; he withdrew from the class
7.
out of the possibility of; prevented or excluded with respect to
kept from going on the hike
8.
out of the possession or control of; free with respect to
released from jail
9.
as not being like
used to express difference, distinction, etc.
to tell one sister from the other
10.
because of; caused by; having the reason or motive of
to tremble from fear
11. US, Slang
about
used with know
they don't know from good taste
Word origin
ME < OE from, fram, akin to Goth fram, forward, away, ON frā < IE base *pro-, var. of *per-, beyond, ahead > for1, fore, first; (sense 11) < Yiddish
Examples of 'from' in a sentence
from
We are concerned about safety and the logistics of getting from place to place.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
We have to try to make sure that we get something from it.
The Sun (2016)
It was discipline from a place of love.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
May come from rocket or something else.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He seemed to always need more but not from a place of greed.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Flying from one wild place to another in search of lunch.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
For me, that was building something from scratch.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
If we can take something from the game, then it is the fact we are in the final.
The Sun (2017)
Others said that the map was of limited use because wild mushrooms do not always grow in the same place from one year to the next.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
There is no better place from which to plot world domination.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
My perfect holiday involves changing my pace from frenetic to something much slower and more languid.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The surgery took place away from her clinic.
The Sun (2016)
He knows the football is not coming from a good place.
The Sun (2012)
Let the counties work to bring on players free from the burdens placed on them from head office.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
You learn something from that experience.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
We're playing against a better side and hopefully we can get something from the game.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The other song is something different from Blur.
The Sun (2012)
Many of my female students love medicine, but want something more from life.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Next time you write, notice how often you stop yourself from writing down something you were going to write down.
Goshgarian, Gary Exploring language (6th edn) (1995)
For the handful of accountancy firms given the job of salvaging something from the wreckage, insolvency work is big business.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Something positive comes from illness.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Something filled him from within.
Claudia Hammond EMOTIONAL ROLLERCOASTER: A Journey Through the Science of Feelings (2005)
They were also neutral places where people from outside could safely be met -- and maybe gifts and other items be exchanged.
Francis Pryor BRITAIN BC: Life In Britain and Ireland before the Romans (2003)
The church is made up of a broad swath of perspectives, and all of us have something to learn from one another.
Christianity Today (2000)
There was no rain recorded in many places from the end of February to mid-May.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The course takes place on Mondays from the end of January.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Information in the first place is available from Job Centres.
Shapiro, Jean Get the Best out of the Rest of Your Life (1990)
But I also think that you have to move on from something if you intend to have a career beyond it.
The Sun (2013)
Something from outer space!
Steel, Elizabeth Coping With Sudden Hair Loss (1988)
I think it's something that comes from my father, who was a very nice man.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In other languages
from
British English: from /frɒm; frəm/ PREPOSITION
given or sent by If something comes from a person, they give it to you or send it to you.
I received a letter from him yesterday.
American English: from
Arabic: مِنْ
Brazilian Portuguese: de
Chinese: 从
Croatian: od
Czech: od
Danish: fra
Dutch: van
European Spanish: de
Finnish: -sta/-stä
French: de
German: von
Greek: από
Italian: da
Japanese: ･･･から
Korean: ...로부터
Norwegian: fra
Polish: od
European Portuguese: de
Romanian: de la
Russian: от
Latin American Spanish: de
Swedish: från
Thai: จาก
Turkish: den
Ukrainian: від
Vietnamese: từ khoảng cách
British English: from /frɒm; frəm/ PREPOSITION
out of If someone or something moves from a place, they leave it.
Everyone watched as she ran from the room.
American English: from
Arabic: مِنْ
Brazilian Portuguese: do
Chinese: 从…
Croatian: iz
Czech: z
Danish: ud af
Dutch: uit
European Spanish: de
Finnish: -lta, -sta, -stä, -ltä
French: deen provenance de
German: aus
Greek: από
Italian: da
Japanese: ･･･から
Korean: ~으로부터
Norwegian: fra
Polish: z
European Portuguese: de
Romanian: din
Russian: из
Latin American Spanish: de
Swedish: från
Thai: ออกจาก
Turkish: dan
Ukrainian: з
Vietnamese: từ
British English: from /frɒm; frəm/ PREPOSITION
demoting ingredients You use from to say what somebody used to make something.
This bread is made from white flour.
American English: from
Arabic: مِنْ
Brazilian Portuguese: de
Chinese: 由…而成
Croatian: od
Czech: z
Danish: af
Dutch: van
European Spanish: de
Finnish: -sta, -stäjauhoi[sta], vede[stä]
French: enà base de
German: aus
Greek: από
Italian: di
Japanese: ･･･から
Korean: ~으로
Norwegian: av
Polish: z
European Portuguese: de
Romanian: din
Russian: из
Latin American Spanish: a partir de
Swedish: av
Thai: ทำจาก
Turkish: dan
Ukrainian: з
Vietnamese: từ
All related terms of 'from'
as from
(in expressions of time) from
come from
to be or have been a resident or native (of)
date from
If something dates from a particular time, it started or was made at that time.
far from
If you say that something is far from a particular thing or far from being the case , you are emphasizing that it is not that particular thing or not at all the case, especially when people expect or assume that it is.
free from
lacking; without
from afar
from a distance
from away
from a part of Canada other than Newfoundland
from cold
without advance notice ; without giving preparatory information
from hell
You can use from hell after a noun when you are emphasizing that something or someone is extremely unpleasant or evil .
from life
from a living model
hail from
to be from; come from (one's birthplace or established residence )
hear from
to get a letter, telegram , etc. from
keep from
to prevent or restrain (oneself or another); refrain or cause to refrain
know from
→ see from (sense 11 )
apart from
You use apart from when you are making an exception to a general statement.
aside from
Aside from means the same as → apart from . This form is more usual in American English.
from abroad
from a foreign land or lands
from memory
If you do something from memory , for example speak the words of a poem or play a piece of music , you do it without looking at it, because you know it very well .
from nature
using natural models in drawing , painting , etc
other from
archaic → other
suffer from
to be ill with, esp recurrently
anywhere from
any quantity, time, degree, etc, above a specified limit
from Day 1
from the very beginning
from Missouri
unwilling to accept something without proof ; skeptical
from nowhere
suddenly or unexpectedly
from scratch
If you do something from scratch , you do it without making use of anything that has been done before.
far from it
You can use the expression ' far from it ' to emphasize a negative statement that you have just made.
from day one
from the very beginning
rod from God
a weapon , currently in the development stage, that consists of a metal cylinder that is fired from an orbiting spacecraft at a target on earth. The cylinder is calculated to reach speeds in excess of 7000 mph, hitting its target with the power of a small atomic weapon
from A to B
People talk about getting from A to B when they are referring generally to journeys they need to make, without saying where the journeys will take them.
from A to Z
from start to finish , thoroughly and in detail
from the first
From the first means ever since something started .
from the floor
during the time of a game when active defense is permitted
from the wood
(of a beverage ) from a wooden container rather than a metal or glass one
grow away from
If you grow away from someone, you gradually have fewer interests and opinions in common with them.
home-from-home
a place that is as pleasant and comfortable as a person's own home
out from under
away from difficulty or danger
shy away from
If you shy away from doing something, you avoid doing it, often because you are afraid or not confident enough.
take away from
If something takes away from an achievement , success , or quality, or takes something away from it, it makes it seem lower in value or worth than it should be.
walk away from
to outdistance easily ; defeat handily
a far cry from
Something that is a far cry from something else is very different from it.
a home from home
You can say a home from home in British English or a home away from home in American English to refer to a place in which you are as comfortable as in your own home.
as distinct from
If you say that you are talking about one thing as distinct from another, you are indicating exactly which thing you mean .
away from sb/sth
If something is away from a person or place, it is at a distance from that person or place.
fall from grace
to have made a mistake or done something wrong or immoral , and as a result, to have lost power or influence and spoiled your good reputation
from day to day
If something happens from day to day or day by day , it happens each day.
from head to toe
over the whole of someone's body
from one's heart
very sincerely or deeply
from sun to sun
from sunrise to sunset
from the get-go
from the beginning of an activity
Chinese translation of 'from'
from
(frɔm)
prep
(indicating starting place) 来(來)自 (láizì)
where are you from?你来(來)自哪里(裡)？ (nǐ láizì nǎlǐ?)
to run away from home离(離)家出走 (líjiā chūzǒu)
from London to Glasgow从(從)伦(倫)敦到格拉斯哥 (cóng Lúndūn dào Gélāsīgē)
to be back from Spain/Paris etc从(從)西班牙/巴黎等回来(來) (cóng Xībānyá/Bālí děng huílái)
viewed from above从(從)上鸟(鳥)瞰 (cóng shàng niǎokàn)
a light bulb hung from the ceiling从(從)天花板上垂下的灯(燈)泡 (cóng tiānhuābǎn shang chuíxià de dēngpào)
(indicating origin) 来(來)自 (laízì)
a present/telephone call/letter from sb来(來)自某人的礼(禮)物/电(電)话(話)/信 (láizì mǒurén de lǐwù/diànhuà/xìn)
to take sth from sb/sth从(從)某人/某物处(處)拿某物 (cóng mǒurén/mǒuwù chù ná mǒuwù)
(with time, distance, price, numbers) 从(從) (cóng)
from January (on)从(從)1月(开(開)始) (cóng yīyuè (kāishǐ))
from one o'clock to or until two从(從)1点(點)直到2点(點) (cóng yīdiǎn zhídào liǎngdiǎn)
it's 1 km from the beach从(從)海滩(灘)到这(這)儿(兒)有1公里 (cóng hǎitān dào zhèr yǒu yī gōnglǐ)
a long way from home离(離)家很远(遠) (lí jiā hěn yuǎn)
prices starting from £10从(從)10镑(鎊)起价(價) (cóng shí bàng qǐjià)
unemployment has fallen from 7.5% to 7.2%失业(業)率已经(經)从(從)7.5%降至7.2% (shīyèlǜ yǐjīng cóng bǎi fēn zhī qī diǎn wǔ jiàngzhì bǎi fēn zhī qī diǎn èr)
six from ten leaves four10减(減)去6还(還)剩4 (shí jiǎnqù liù háishèng sì)
(= because of, on the basis of) 根据(據) (gēnjù)
from what he says根据(據)他所说(說)的 (gēnjù tā suǒ shuō de)
from what I understand据(據)我所了解 (jù wǒ suǒ liǎojiě)
(= out of)
made from用 ... 做成 (yòng ... zuòchéng)
All related terms of 'from'
far from
一点(點)也不 yīdiǎn yě bù ⇒ His hands were far from clean. → 他的手一点也不干净。 Tā de shǒu yīdiǎn yě bù gānjìng.
away from
远(遠)离(離) yuǎnlí ⇒ a pleasant spot away from the city → 一个远离城市的宜人之地 yīgè yuǎnlí chéngshì de yírén zhī dì
come from
( place, source ) 来(來)自 láizì
date from
(自 ... )存在至今 (zì ... ) cúnzài zhìjīn
keep from
▶ to keep from doing sth 克制 kèzhì ⇒ She bit her lip to keep from crying. → 她咬着嘴唇克制着自己不要哭。 Tā yǎozhe zuǐchún kèzhìzhe zìjǐ bù yào kū.
made from
用 ... 做成 yòng ... zuòchéng
stem from
起源于(於) qǐyuán yú
across from
( opposite ) 在 ... 对(對)面 zài ... duìmiàn ⇒ They parked across from the theatre. → 他们把车停在剧院的对面。 Tāmen bǎ chē tíng zài jùyuàn de duìmiàn.
apart from
( excepting ) 除去 chúqù
aside from
除了 ... 之外 chúle ... zhīwài
exempt from
( duty, obligation ) 免除的 miǎnchú de
from above
从(從)上面 cóng shàngmian
immune from
( prosecution, scandal ) 免除 ... miǎnchú ...
different from
与(與) ... 不同 yǔ ... bù tóng
far from it
远(遠)非如此 yuǎn fēi rúcǐ
from now on
从(從)现(現)在起 cóng xiànzài qǐ
from ... to ...
从(從) ... 到 ... cóng ... dào ...
from A to B
从(從)一地到另一地 cóng yī dì dào lìng yī dì
from then on
从(從)那时(時)起 cóng nàshí qǐ
safe from sth
不受到某事的攻击(擊) bù shòudào mǒushì de gōngjī
shy away from
▶ to shy away from sth/from doing sth 因顾(顧)忌而回(迴)避某事/做某事 yīn gùjì ér huíbì mǒushì/zuò mǒushì
from a distance
从(從)远(遠)处(處) cóng yuǎnchù
from the outset
从(從)一开(開)始 cóng yīkāishǐ
from the start
从(從)一开(開)始 cóng yī kāishǐ
to choose from
从(從) ... 中选(選)择(擇) cóng ... zhōng xuǎnzé
to escape from
( place ) 从(從) ... 逃跑 cóng ... táopǎo
to extend from
( protrude ) 从(從) ... 中伸出 cóng ... zhōng shēnchū
to flinch from
( unpleasant duty, decision ) 逃避 táobì
to result from
因 ... 而产(產)生 yīn ... ér chǎnshēng
to spring from
起源于(於) qǐyuán yú
as distinct from
( in contrast to ) 不同于(於) bùtóng yú
distilled from sth
提取某物的精华(華) tíqǔ mǒuwù de jīnghuá
en route to/from
在去/从(從) ... 来(來)的途中 zài qù/cóng ... lái de túzhōng