From or of?

Question

i´m Spanish and I sometimes have doubts wether using from or of. Thank you

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

OK, I'll give this a shot.

"From" as a preposition, implies movement or transience.

I am sick from eating grapes. <---- You were eating grapes. Now you are not. You are sick.

"Of" as a preposition implies stasis or a state of being.

I am sick of eating grapes. <---- You do not want grapes.

Consider these examples

The view from the window is beautiful. <---The view moves from the window to somewhere else.

The view of the window is beautiful. <---The view is the window itself.

I am of the world. <---The person lives in the world. He or she is worldly.

I am from the world. <---This person lived in the world, but now they are on the moon or Mars or somewhere else.

CalifJim · Answer

Anonymousi´m Spanish and I sometimes have doubts wether using from or of.

You did not have to say you were Spanish. That was obvious by your incorrect use of the word doubts.

Spanish speakers tend to make that mistake.

In English you need to avoid that translation of dudas. Say, "I sometimes have trouble using from and of" or "I have questions about using from and of".
_________

Now for the answer. In many cases, you simply have to memorize which verbs and adjectives are followed by from and which are followed by of. When movement is involved, from is usually the correct choice.

CJ

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