～て以来 — Ever Since Then
Indicates that ever since a past event happened, a certain situation has continued up to now. It emphasizes an unbroken state or repeated pattern following that starting point. Used for one-time past events, not routine or repeatable actions, and is somewhat formal.
Structure
[Verb て-form] + 以来 / [Noun] + 以来
Examples
日本に来て以来、一度も故郷に帰っていない。
Nihon ni kite irai, ichido mo kokyou ni kaette inai.
Ever since I came to Japan, I haven't returned home even once.
来て (て-form of 来る) + 以来 = a continuous state since that point
手術をして以来、体調がずっといい。
Shujutsu o shite irai, taichou ga zutto ii.
Ever since I had the surgery, my health has been good the whole time.
して (て-form of する) + 以来 = ongoing situation from a past event
卒業以来、彼とは会っていない。
Sotsugyou irai, kare to wa atte inai.
I haven't seen him since graduation.
Noun 卒業 + 以来 = 'since graduation', a fixed starting point
• Register: formal; the following clause usually describes a lasting state or habit up to the present. • The starting event must be a single, non-repeating occurrence. • Attaches to a noun directly (卒業以来) or a verb in て-form (来て以来).
Commonly confused with
The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones ～て以来 is tested against.
vs ～てから
～てから simply means 'after doing' and works for any action; ～て以来 stresses a long, unbroken continuation from a one-time past event and is more formal.
vs ～から (時間)
Plain ～から marks a start point neutrally; ～て以来 implies the state has persisted 'ever since' with emphasis.
More time expressions
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