From vs Since

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

From

High-frequency chunk A1 preposition

Since

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 preposition

	From	Since
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/frəm//frɒm/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/frəm//frʌm//frɑːm/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/sɪns/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/sɪns/"]/
Meaning	used to show the starting point of a movement or action	From a specific time in the past until now.
Example	She is coming from the store.	She's been off work since Tuesday.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	High-frequency chunk	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	A1	A2
Part of speech	preposition	preposition
Collocations	from here, from time to time, from now on	since then, since childhood, since last year
Antonyms	to	until, before
Common mistakes	Confused with 'to' when indicating direction., Omitted in sentences needing a starting point., Misplaced in sentences where 'from' should precede the start location.	Using 'since' with a future time reference., Confusing 'since' with 'for'., Incorrectly placing 'since' in the sentence.
Usage notes	Used to describe origins or starting points. Appropriate in both spoken and written contexts. Avoid using in very formal writing where alternatives may be preferred.	Use 'since' to indicate the starting point of an action or situation that continues to the present. It is often used in the present perfect tense. Avoid using 'since' with future events.

See it in real clips

Succession › S1 E1

And since that day,

Breaking Bad › S1 E7

And he's since been fired.

Peaky Blinders › S1 E1

Those of you who have taken their bribes these years since the war.

Succession › S1 E1

And since that day,

Breaking Bad › S1 E7

And he's since been fired.

Since

Frequently asked questions: From vs Since

What's the difference between From and Since?

From: used to show the starting point of a movement or action Since: From a specific time in the past until now.

Which is more advanced: From and Since?

Since is the highest level, at A2, on the CEFR scale.

Are From and Since the same CEFR level?

From: A1, Since: A2 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are From and Since?

From: preposition, Since: preposition.

Can you show an example of each?

From: She is coming from the store. Since: She's been off work since Tuesday.

Can I use From and Since interchangeably?

Not always. From and Since are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.