WordGarden.iofrom
A1Pronunciation
UK
- /frˈɒm/
US
- /ˈfrəm/
Meanings
Preposition
indicating the place, person, or source where something starts or originates
starting at a stated time
indicating cause, reason, source material, or basis
More meaningsFewer meanings
indicating separation, removal, prevention, or distance away
starting at a stated amount, number, or point in a range
according to a viewpoint, position, or standard
Beyond the definition
The little preposition "from" tells us where something begins, comes, or is taken. A letter might be from your aunt, a good smell might drift from the bakery, and a story could be from long ago. It also shows separation or protection: you keep someone safe from harm. Think of it as an arrow pointing back to the starting point.
"From" is not only about places. You can learn from mistakes, get help from friends, or get relief from pain. It can point to a person, a place, a time, or a source. In each case, it quietly links something to where it started or what it came out of.
The seemingly simple word "from" is surprisingly versatile. It is a preposition that points to an origin, a source, a starting point, a cause, or a separation. It helps us show where something begins or who or what it is connected to. A message can be from a friend, a train can leave from a station, and a custom can come from an older tradition.
It is not limited to physical places. We also use it for time, change, and cause. You can work from morning to evening, recover from an illness, learn from experience, or stop someone from making a mistake. It often marks movement away from something, whether that movement is real, emotional, or abstract.
"From" is also common when we talk about materials, difference, and distance. Something can be made from wood or from recycled paper. One idea can grow from another. One town may be far from the next. In phrases like "free from," "apart from," and "hear from," it keeps its core sense of connection to a source, a starting point, or a separation. Small as it is, it does a great deal of work in English, quietly guiding us back to where something started or showing what it is set apart from.
Examples
- 1
Movement
We walked from the station to the hotel.
- 2
Origin
I'm from Brazil, but I live in Canada now.
- 3
Time range
The shop is open from nine to five.
- 4
Distance
My apartment is only ten minutes from the station.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Choices
You can choose from several different colors.
- 6
Material source
Paper is made from wood.
- Patternmade from + material
produced using something that changes form
- 7
Information source
I heard about the job from a friend.
- 8
Illness recovery
She's still recovering from the flu.
- 9
Protection
This cream protects your skin from the sun.
- 10
Comparison
It's hard to tell the copy from the original.
- Patterntell A from B
recognize which one is which
- 11
Change
He went from feeling nervous to feeling confident.
- 12
Starting now
From now on, please send the files to me directly.
- Phrasefrom now on
starting now and continuing into the future
See also
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- frompreposition