<!DOCTYPE html> <html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> <head> <meta name="generator" content= "HTML Tidy for HTML5 for Linux version 5.2.0" /> <title></title> </head> <body> <p>自从 means "ever since" in English, and is used to express the starting point of an action in the past. It can be followed by phrases using the markers 起 and <a href="After_a_specific_time" title="wikilink">以后</a></p> <h2 id="structure">Structure</h2> <div class="jiegou"> <p>自从 + [Starting Point]</p> </div> <h2 id="examples">Examples</h2> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><em>自从</em> 来 到 湖南，我 越 来 越 能 吃 辣 了。<span class="trans">Ever since arriving in Hunan, I've been more and more able to eat spicy food.</span></li> <li><em>自从</em> 金融 危机 爆发，就业 市场 变 得 越 来 越 不 景气 了。<span class= "trans">Ever since the economic crisis, the job market has been growing less and less.</span></li> <li><em>自从</em> 他 跟 我 分手 后，他 就 没有 联系 过 我。<span class="trans">Ever since he broke up with me, he hasn't contacted me.</span></li> </ul> </div> <p>In the above examples, 从 can be used interchangeably with 自从. The main difference is that 从 can also be used to state starting points in the future, a little like "from" in English. 自从 cannot be used in this way.</p> <div class="liju"> <ul> <li><em>从</em> 明天 开始，我 要 认真 看 书。<span class="trans">Starting from tomorrow, I'm going to study seriously.</span></li> <li><em>自从</em> 明天 开始，我 要 认真 看 书。</li> </ul> </div> <p>Note that 从 can be used to denote <a href= ""From%E2%80%A6_To%E2%80%A6"_with_"cong%E2%80%A6_dao%E2%80%A6"" title="wikilink">starting points in place and time</a>, whereas 自从 can only be used to express starting points in time.</p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li><a href="From%E2%80%A6_to%E2%80%A6" title="wikilink">From… to…</a></li> <li><a href="Saying_"ever_since"_with_"yilai"" title="wikilink">Saying "ever since" with "yilai"</a></li> </ul> <h2 id="sources-and-further-reading">Sources and further reading</h2> <h3 id="books">Books</h3> <ul> <li><a href= "Boya_Chinese_Lower_Intermediate_1_(%E5%8D%9A%E9%9B%85%E6%B1%89%E8%AF%AD%E5%87%86%E4%B8%AD%E7%BA%A7%E5%8A%A0%E9%80%9F%E7%AF%87)" title="wikilink">Boya Chinese Lower Intermediate 1 (博雅汉语准中级加速篇)</a> (pp. 218) <a href= "http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/7301075308/ref%3das_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=allset-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399373&creativeASIN=7301075308"> →buy</a></li> </ul> <p><a href="Category:_B2_grammar_points" title="wikilink">Category: B2 grammar points</a></p> </body> </html>