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Can anyone explain what is the difference between そして and それから, and when to
use which?

Thanks.
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2016-10-24T08:37:29.413
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2016-10-24T13:55:41.230
2016-10-24T09:23:19.223
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question
word-choice words nuances
What is the difference between そして (soshite) and それから (sorekara)?
There is an article about the difference (although in Japanese):
[「そして」／「それから」の一考察](http://www.ffl.kanagawa-u.ac.jp/graduate/ronsyu/img/vol_04/vol04_04.pdf)

As shown in the picture below, in a nutshell, this article says that **それから
involves a shift in viewpoint** , while そして adds information from the same
viewpoint.

[![enter image description
here](https://i.stack.imgur.com/eSZTl.png)](https://i.stack.imgur.com/eSZTl.png)

Let me try to explain this.

* * *

When you describe something happens after something, basically you can use
both そして and それから. But それから more explicitly focuses on the sequence of events
(what comes next to something), and often implies the two things happens more
or less _independently_. It's closer to "after that" in English. On the other
hand, そして often implies the second thing happens as a result of the first
thing ("and" in English).

Examples:

> 今日【きょう】は宿題【しゅくだい】をして、｛そして／それから｝テレビを見【み】ます。  
>  Today, I'll do my homework, ______ watch TV.

Here, そして and それから are interchangeable, but それから sounds more like "and after
that" while そして sounds more like "and then".

> まじめに勉強【べんきょう】して、そして試験【しけん】に合格【ごうかく】しました。  
>  I studied seriously, and passed the examination.

Here そして is the natural choice because he passed the exam _because_ he studied
seriously. Such reason-result relationships are denoted only by そして. If you
used それから here, it would sound like "in addition", which sounds awkward.

> まず、まじめに勉強【べんきょう】して、それから試験【しけん】を受【う】けなさい。  
>  You must study seriously first, and after that, take the exam.

Here それから is the natural choice because the speaker is strongly emphasizing
the proper order of what you need to do. (Maybe you can forget the picture
above in this case)

* * *

When you list multiple things, you can use both それから and そして:

> 彼【かれ】は日本語【にほんご】と英語【えいご】、｛そして／それから｝スペイン語【ご】が話【はな】せます。  
>  He can speak Japanese, English, ______ Spanish.

Here そして and それから are interchangeable, but それから is much less common in formal,
written, or organized sentences.

> 彼は日本語と英語が話せます。あ、それからスペイン語も。  
>  He can speak Japanese and English. Oh, Spanish, too.

Here それから sounds more natural because the speaker was not "seeing" Spanish at
first. In conversations, それから is a good word to add something as an
afterthought (see [this](https://japanese.stackexchange.com/a/12194/5010)).

> えーと、それから…  
>  Um, let's see ... / And, well, er ...

Actually それから is a common filler word used when the speaker is trying to say
something more. Maybe he's trying to "change his viewpoint".
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answer
Used as a conjunction there is no difference.  
They both can be translated as "and" or "then".  
そして can also be used as an adverb meaning "in that way"

<http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/128664/meaning/m0u/>  
<http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/jn/131765/meaning/m0u/%E3%81%9D%E3%82%8C%E3%81%8B%E3%82%89/>  
<http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/je/43185/meaning/m0u/%E7%84%B6%E3%81%86%E3%81%97%E3%81%A6/>
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answer