日本語道場

Nihongo Dojo — N3 → N2

Grammar

N3

～て以来

~te irai

ever since

When to use it

Use ～て以来 in written or formal spoken Japanese to mark a past turning point after which a situation has continued unchanged up to now. It is heavier and more literary than ～てから, so it suits reports, email openings and narrative accounts of a company's history rather than casual chat. Avoid it for very recent or short spans (×昨日会って以来) and for one-off future-oriented statements.

Formation

  • Verb: te-form + 以来 — 入社して以来、担当が変わって以来
  • Noun: event/action noun + 以来 (no て) — 創業以来、前回の会議以来、卒業以来
  • i-adjective: not used directly; recast as a verb — ×忙しくて以来 → 忙しくなって以来
  • na-adjective: same — 不安定になって以来
  • Negatives are avoided: ×売れなくて以来 → 売れなくなってから
  • The following clause states an ongoing state or cumulative result, often with ずっと・一度も・一方だ

Examples

  • Ever since the president took office, performance has climbed steadily.

  • I'm afraid I haven't been in touch since we last met.

  • Ever since the price hike, cancellation inquiries have only increased.

  • Since we began doing business, there has not been a single late delivery.

  • Ever since the structure changed, meetings have started running long.