Lesson 114: から〜にかけて・ごとに・てからでないと

N3 · Lesson 114 · 18 min — From ~ to ~, every ~, can't ~ until you ~ first: read weather forecasts and train schedules

Rin is doing a tour-guide internship in Kyoto. In a free moment, he goes with Neko-sensei to the wagashi shop to ask about はな. Read the comic first!

After this lesson, you can:

• Use 〜から〜に かけて for "from ~ to ~ (a rough span)" and understand weather forecasts
• Use 〜ごとに for "every ~" and "each and every ~" to read train and bus schedules
• Tell ごとに and おきに apart: 1日にちおき means "every other day", not "every day"
• Use 〜てからでないと／〜てからでなければ for "can't ~ until you ~ first"

The Owner's Deal

Last time, Rin came to Kyoto with a tour group and finally entered the wagashi shop. (お客様きゃくさま = customer; 試食ししょく = free sample)

から〜に かけて = from ~ to ~; ごとに = every ~; てからでないと = can't ~ until you ~ first. Tonight, Rin writes his first letter in Japanese at the inn.

Words in this lesson: range, every ~, first ~

• 〜から 〜に かけて (kara ~ ni kakete): from ~ to ~ (a rough span)
• 〜ごとに (goto ni): every ~; each and every ~
• 〜おきに (oki ni): every other ~ (review)
• 〜てからでないと／〜てからでなければ (te kara de nai to / te kara de nakereba): unless you first ~, (you can't) ~
• 天気予報てんきよほう (tenki yohō): weather forecast
• 台風たいふう (taifū): typhoon
• 許可きょか (kyoka): permission, consent
• 試食ししょく (shishoku): free sample (food)
• 〜軒けん (ken): counter for shops and houses
• 旅館りょかん (ryokan): Japanese-style inn (ryokan)
• 関東かんとう・東北とうほく (Kantō / Tōhoku): Kanto / Tohoku (regions of Japan)
• 止とまる (tomaru): (a vehicle) stops
• 混こむ (komu): to be crowded
• 味あじ (aji): taste, flavor
• チェックイン (chekkuin): check-in

Grammar 1 / 3: から〜にかけて

〜から〜に かけて = from ~ to ~ (a rough span): the start and end are both approximate. You hear it all the time in weather forecasts.

• 〜から〜に かけて = from ~ to ~ (a span): It describes a "range" of time (午後ごごから 夜よるに かけて) or place (関東かんとうから 東北とうほくに かけて). Both ends are approximate, and everything in between is included.
• How to build it: Noun + から + noun + に かけて. It is often followed by things that last or happen all over during that time or area, like rain, snow, crowds or lots of something.
• Different from から〜まで: から〜まで gives an exact start and end: 店みせは 10時じから 6時じまでです. から〜に かけて means "roughly that stretch", so don't use it for exact times such as opening hours or class times.

• 午後ごごから 夜よるに かけて 雨あめが 降ふるでしょう。 — It will rain from afternoon to night.
• 関東かんとうから 東北とうほくに かけて 雪ゆきが 降ふるでしょう。 — It will snow from Kanto to Tohoku.
• 8月がつから 9月がつに かけて 台風たいふうが 多おおいです。 — There are many typhoons from August to September.
• 朝あさの 7時じから 9時じに かけて 電車でんしゃが 混こみます。 — From about 7 to 9 in the morning, the trains are crowded.
• 京都きょうとから 大阪おおさかに かけて 雨あめです。 — It is raining from Kyoto to Osaka.

Grammar 2 / 3: ごとに・おきに

〜ごとに = every ~ (once each time), each and every ~; 〜おきに = every ~ apart (skipping one). Both are common in train and bus schedules.

• Number+unit + ごとに = every ~ (once each time): 10分ぷんごとに (every 10 minutes), 2時間じかんごとに (every 2 hours). You often see it in timetables and medicine instructions.
• Noun + ごとに = each and every ~: 店みせごとに (at each shop), 駅えきごとに (at each station), 一軒いっけんごとに (at each place). It means "one by one, all of them" and often goes with "味あじが ちがう" or "止とまる".
• 〜おきに = every ~ apart: おきに follows only number+unit. With minutes and hours, 10分ぷんおき and 10分ぷんごと are almost the same. But with things counted one by one, like 1日にち or 1つ: 1日にちおき = every other day (once every two days), 1日にちごと = every single day.

• 電車でんしゃは 10分ぷんごとに 来きます。 — A train comes every 10 minutes.
• この 電車でんしゃは 駅えきごとに 止とまります。 — This train stops at every station.
• 店みせごとに 味あじが ちがいます。 — The taste is different at each shop.
• この 薬くすりは 6時間じかんごとに 飲のんで ください。 — Please take this medicine every 6 hours.
• 1日にちおきに 走はしって います。 — I run every other day.

Grammar 3 / 3: てからでないと

〜てからでないと／〜てからでなければ = unless you first ~, you can't ~. A negative or difficult meaning follows (can't, must not, hard to).

• 〜てからでないと = unless you first ~, (you can't) ~: It states an order rule: "A first, then B." お客様きゃくさまに 聞きいてからでないと、お教おしえ できません (Unless I ask the customer first, I can't tell you).
• How to build it: て-form + からでないと／からでなければ. でなければ is more formal and common in notices, rules and shop announcements. The meaning is the same.
• A negative follows: The second half is negative or difficult (can't, must not, hard to): 〜できません, the negative of a potential form (入はいれません), or 〜ては いけません. It cannot be followed by "may ~". A small reminder: in お教おしえ する (humble: "I'll tell you"), changing する to the potential form できる gives お教おしえ できる ("I can tell you"); the negative is お教おしえ できません.
• Compare with 〜てから: 〜てから = after doing A, do B. It only shows order: 手紙てがみを 書かいてから 来きます. 〜てからでないと = if you don't do A first, B is impossible. It stresses the condition.

• お客様きゃくさまの 許可きょかを もらってからでないと、お教おしえ できません。 — Without first getting the customer's permission, I can't tell you.
• チケットを 買かってからでないと、入はいれません。 — You can't go in unless you buy a ticket first.
• 手てを 洗あらってからでなければ、食たべては いけません。 — You must not eat until you wash your hands.
• 天気予報てんきよほうを 見みてからでないと、決きめられません。 — I can't decide until I check the weather forecast.
• チェックインしてからでないと、お部屋へやに 入はいれません。 — You can't enter the room until you check in.