Breakdown of shukudai o shite kara nemasu.
をo
direct object particle
宿題shukudai
homework
するsuru
to do
寝るneru
to sleep
〜て から〜te kara
after doing
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Questions & Answers about shukudai o shite kara nemasu.
Why is there no subject in 宿題をしてから寝ます?
Japanese often omits the subject when it’s clear from context. In this sentence, the speaker (I/we) is understood. If you needed to be explicit, you could say:
- 私は宿題をしてから寝ます。 (As for me, I will go to sleep after doing homework.)
What is the function of を after 宿題? Can I use another particle?
The particle を marks 宿題 as the direct object of the verb する (“to do”). You normally need を when you “do” something.
- If you replace it with は, you topicalize “homework,” shifting the nuance:
- 宿題はしてから寝ます。 (Speaking of homework, I will do it and then sleep.)
- Using が here would be ungrammatical because が marks the subject, not the object of する.
What does してから mean? Why use て-form + から?
The construction V-てから means “after doing V.” It links two actions in sequence:
- 宿題をして (“do homework” in the て-form)
- から (“after that”)
- 寝ます (“go to sleep”)
It emphasizes that the first action must finish before the second begins.
How does V-てから differ from Vたら?
- V-てから = “after doing A, then B.” It focuses on sequence and completion of A.
- Vたら = “when/if A happens, then B,” and can express a conditional nuance or a point in time.
Examples:
- 宿題をしてから寝ます。 (I’ll do homework, and only after that will I sleep.)
- 宿題をしたら寝ます。 (Once I finish homework, then I’ll sleep—but it also sounds like a simple temporal/conditional statement, not emphasizing order as strongly.)
Can I say 宿題をして寝ます without から? What’s the difference?
Yes, V-て + main verb can show a sequence or just link actions:
- 宿題をして寝ます。 could mean “I’ll do homework and then sleep,” but it’s a bit more casual and the order can feel less rigid.
- してから explicitly marks “after doing” and makes the sequence very clear.
Why is the verb 寝ます in the polite form? Can I use the plain form 寝る?
寝ます is the polite (masu) form. In casual speech or writing you can use the plain dictionary form:
- Casual: 宿題をしてから寝る。
- Polite: 宿題をしてから寝ます。
Choose based on how formal you want to sound.
Is してから the only way to say “after doing”? Could I use 宿題をした後で寝ます?
You can also say Vた後(で) to mean “after V.” Both express sequence:
- 宿題をした後で寝ます。
- 宿題をしてから寝ます。
Nuance:
- ～てから often feels more conversational and tightly linked.
- ～た後で can sound a bit more formal or descriptive. Both are correct.