из vs от
iz vs ot — out of/from inside vs from/away from
Register: neutral
What it really means
Из means out of, from inside a place, material, group, or origin. От means from a person, source, edge, or point away from which something moves.
Both take genitive, but their spatial images differ: из дома, от врача.
Examples in natural speech
Я вышел из дома.
I left the house.
Чашка из стекла.
The cup is made of glass.
Письмо от друга.
A letter from a friend.
Мы идём от метро.
We are walking from the metro.
У него болит голова от шума.
His head hurts from the noise.
Common mistakes
Do not use из for a sender: письмо от мамы. Use из when movement begins inside an enclosed place.
Memory tip
Из comes out of an interior; от comes away from a source.
Frequently asked questions
What case do both take?
Genitive.
How do I say “from Russia”?
Из России.
How do I say “a gift from Anna”?
Подарок от Анны.
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